Liselle's Boiling Rock
by Liselle129
Summary: While I thought The Boiling Rock was a good concept, I felt the execution was somewhat lacking. This is my attempt to remedy the situation, by including more of the main characters and adding more shippiness. Chapter 10: The Return.
1. Chapter 1

Outline for Liselle's Boiling Rock

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Avatar, or this would have been the episode in the first place, and I wouldn't have to re-write the whole thing.;)

Author's Note: I'm sure a lot of you, after watching The Boiling Rock, thought to yourselves, "I wonder what Liselle129 would do with this?" (Okay, work with me, people.) Well, you need wonder no longer. This is my version of events, using the same major plot points but involving more characters the way I would have liked and eliminating some of the less believable elements.

The Plan

Sokka was troubled. He had many things to be troubled about since the failure of the invasion on the Day of Black Sun, but what bothered him the most was that his plan had led to the capture of his father, along with just about every fighter he'd ever known.

There had been a chance to turn back, to retreat, when Aang had related the news that the invasion had long been anticipated. However, Sokka had decided that they would press onward. Hakoda had helped to convince him to do that, certainly, but the final decision had ultimately been Sokka's, and he bitterly regretted it now. They should have regrouped to fight another day, but he'd been so convinced that the eclipse offered their best chance of success, even if they'd lost the element of surprise.

There had to be something Sokka could do to make up for that misjudgment. Unfortunately, his inspiration had been failing him lately, and he didn't know what his next step should be. The only thing that was clear to him was that he desperately needed his father. Tired at last of his futile internal struggles, he pulled Zuko aside one evening at the Western Air Temple.

"Uh, Zuko, I was just wondering…" Sokka began hesitantly. When the other's piercing, golden eyes fixed on him intently, the best thing seemed to be to just rush through what he wanted without pausing. "Do you have any idea where prisoners, like the ones taken during the invasion, might be sent?" The prince's gaze didn't waver, almost as if he'd expected this question to come.

"You don't want to know," Zuko said at last, turning away. Sokka grabbed his arm, not caring how desperate or pathetic he probably seemed.

"Yes, I do," he persisted. "I – I really need to know where my father is." There was a flicker of sympathy in Zuko's eyes as he turned back to face Sokka, and he sighed.

"There's a place called The Boiling Rock," Zuko said. "It's a volcanic island between here and the Fire Nation. The prison is built right into the volcano, and the worst criminals are put there. No one has ever escaped. One side is a sheer rock face; on the other is a lake that boils from the heat underneath it."

"Okay, thanks," Sokka chewed his lower lip thoughtfully. "How far away did you say it was?"

"Look, don't do anything stupid like trying to in there by yourself," Zuko warned him.

"I won't," Sokka promised, but Zuko refused to give him any more information.

Sokka didn't sleep well that night. He couldn't help thinking that there must be a way to get his father out of there, if that's where he was. Just because no one had escaped didn't mean it couldn't be done. Besides, it had been built to contain firebenders. Sneaking an earthbender or waterbender in there would completely change the rules.

The next morning, after they'd had breakfast and Teo, Haru, and The Duke had gone off exploring again, Sokka gathered the rest of the group together. He explained that he wanted to try and rescue Hakoda from The Boiling Rock. To his surprise, Toph was the first to respond favorably.

"So, what's the plan?" she asked.

"I don't actually have one," Sokka was forced to admit.

"What?" Aang demanded. "_You_ don't have a _plan_?"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, my plans haven't been working out well lately…" Sokka trailed off.

"You can't control everything," Katara tried to make him feel better. "They were still good plans."

"No! They weren't!" he practically shouted. "I was an idiot to stick with the eclipse idea. I knew Azula and her friends were in Ba Sing Se. I should have considered the possibility that they'd heard about the invasion plan." It was even worse that he'd been the one to tell the Earth King that the Kyoshi Warriors were completely trustworthy. He could have banged his head against the wall at the thought of his loose tongue. He still didn't know where Suki was, but at the back of his mind lingered a hope that she might be at this prison, too. Rescuing her and his father might make all of this worth it.

"Any of us could have thought of that, too," Toph pointed out. "We didn't."

"I could also have retreated when we had the chance," Sokka pointed out, unwilling to be drawn out of his melancholy just yet. "I didn't."

"What's done is done," interrupted Aang. "The important thing is what we do now."

"I was up half the night, but the only thing I came up with was that we still have some Fire Nation uniforms and that it would be really handy to have a waterbender and an earthbender in there," said Sokka in an attitude of defeat.

"That's okay, Sokka," reassured Katara, resting a hand on her brother's shoulder. "I think I have an idea."

"You?" said Toph skeptically, arms folded across her chest.

"Yeah. You have a problem with that?" Katara challenged.

"It's just that the last time you had a plan, we both ended up in jail," Toph reminded her. Instead of getting angry, Katara grinned slyly.

"And that's just where we're trying to go now, isn't it?" she returned. Toph opened her mouth but could clearly find no response to that, so she closed it again and dropped her hands in surrender.

"So what's your plan?" Zuko brought the girls back to the point. This was pretty daring on his part because Katara was still not bothering to hide the fact that she didn't like him. However, the prospect of a new adventure seemed to override even her distaste.

"It's very simple," Katara explained. "You and Sokka will wear the uniforms and pose as new guards. Toph and I will put our Fire Nation clothes back on and pretend to be prisoners."

"This is where the worst criminals of the Fire Nation are sent, as well as prisoners of war who are thought to be the most dangerous," Zuko objected, raising his eyebrows (well, eyebrow) disbelievingly. "How are we going to convince them that you two fit into one of those categories?"

"Especially since you obviously don't want them to know you're not Fire Nation," Sokka added, also curious to know the answer. Katara's smile only broadened, and she had that wicked gleam in her eyes that always seemed to get Sokka into trouble. He steeled himself.

"We'll just tell the truth," his sister replied. "You'll tell them I stirred up a rebellion and destroyed a military factory on one of the southern islands and that Toph here is the infamous Runaway." Hearing that, Toph grinned to match Katara, and Sokka was sure that the two girls would have exchanged glances if Toph were capable of that.

"Katara, I've got to hand it to you," the blind earthbender conceded. "You can be a genius sometimes."

"It must run in the family," declared Sokka, mentally reviewing the outlined plan and checking it for holes. Meanwhile, Zuko was looking from the two girls to Sokka.

"It sounds like you were all pretty busy in the weeks before the eclipse," the prince commented finally.

"And I suppose you spent your time getting pampered and heralded as the honored hero?" Katara snapped at him.

"Part of it," he conceded. "Most of the time, though, I was trying to stay out of my sister's way and renewing a relationship with a girl I then had to leave again to come here."

"You had a girlfriend?" Sokka exclaimed before he could stop himself. Zuko glared at him.

"Is that so surprising?" he challenged.

"I don't know, I just…never really thought of you as having a personal life," Sokka tried to explain. "You always seemed so single-minded."

"Well, I wasn't born that way," muttered Zuko.

"What about me?" Aang interjected in a small voice. "What can I do?"

"I'm sorry, Aang, but I don't see how you can slip into the prison with us," Katara told him apologetically. "If you're discovered there, you'd draw too much attention, and now that you've shaved your head again, it's going to be really hard to disguise you." She ran a hand across the young Avatar's scalp to emphasize her point.

"And you're too small for the uniforms," Sokka put in, thinking that the armor and helmet would be the easiest way to hide Aang's ubiquitous tattoos, if only they were the right size. Katara threw him a glare that clearly said, "Not helping," but Sokka didn't see what her problem was. He was just telling the truth.

"I don't suppose we could wait a couple of weeks so that I could grow it back?" Aang suggested without much hope. His eyes met Katara's, and they were both silent for a space of several heartbeats. Whenever they did that, Sokka got the uncomfortable feeling that there was an entire conversation going on that he couldn't hear. He wondered whether Toph ever felt that way when people around her were exchanging glances or expressions. Maybe she just didn't even know it was happening. Finally, Aang broke eye contact and sighed, "I didn't think so."

"You can still help, though," Katara assured him.

"Right," Sokka interjected, believing he knew where she was going with this. "You can be our backup."

"Backup?" Aang brightened a little.

"Exactly," Katara confirmed. "You can come in if we get into trouble."

"And someone will have to take care of Appa," Toph added, patting the bison's side. "I'm assuming we'll be taking him, and we can't just leave him alone on bare rock for several days."

"Maybe I shouldn't go, either," Zuko said worriedly. He raised his left hand to touch the scar around his eye. "I'm not that much less noticeable than Aang is."

"Just keep your visor down all the time," Sokka advised. "You're the only one who really knows anything about the prison or Fire Nation protocols, so we need you there. It's a risk we'll have to take." In a way, this was a test. How much did Zuko trust them? More importantly, how much could they trust him? Zuko inclined his head, once, to indicate his agreement.

They spent the next several hours refining their plan and carefully packing. They didn't want to load Appa too heavily for this trip, since he would already have to carry five people plus the armor.

When Haru, Teo, and The Duke wandered back for the midday meal, they naturally enough asked what was going on. Katara informed them that the rest of the group was going to be taking a trip for a few days. By mutual agreement, they were not giving the three boys any details. They'd probably want to help, which would definitely strain Appa and not fit into their plan. Anyway, they should be perfectly safe at the temple because the ones who were really wanted by the Fire Nation would be leaving. Only Haru looked a little suspicious, but he let it go.

At last, everything was ready. Despite chafing at the delay, Sokka decided that they should leave in the evening, so that dark could cover their approach to the island. However, Aang and Katara would pull a cloud around Appa for extra camouflage, just as they'd done during their prior jaunts between the islands of the Fire Nation. Since they needed their hands free for that, Sokka would do the driving, with some guidance from Zuko. Everyone got on Appa's back and settled into their positions.

"You do realize that this is going to be impossible, don't you?" Zuko announced just before they took off.

"It's initiation, Fire-breath," Toph smirked, even as she gripped the side of their new saddle so hard her knuckles whitened. "To be a full member of this group, you have to participate in at least one impossible quest."

"I guess I'm well on my way, then," said Zuko resignedly, taking his place near the front to instruct Sokka as needed.

"Yip yip," said Sokka, and they were off.

--

Of course, the down side to using the darkness as cover was that the group had to spend the night camped on a slim stretch of black beach beside the sharp ridge that stood across from the prison, on the other side of the boiling lake. Toph seemed right at home, raising a tent for herself without hesitation, but Aang already missed the grass and flowers of the temple. He didn't feel tired and knew he would have little to do but rest over the next two or three days, so he kept watch for most of the night. The thought of real Fire Nation prisoners being delivered while they slept sent prickles down his spine.

At first light, the entire group climbed up the slope and huddled below the gondola platform, preparing to make the final approach to the prison.

"How am I supposed to know if you need help?" Aang asked them. It was something they hadn't really been able to decide without actually seeing the layout of the place.

"You won't," answered Sokka. "Give me your bison whistle." Obediently, Aang handed it over. Sokka blew on it experimentally, and Appa groaned and turned his head toward the sound no one else could hear.

"You'll have to rely on Appa," Sokka explained. "When he responds to the whistle, come in and get us."

"We might need to send more specific messages, though," Katara pointed out.

"Well, if I still had Hawky, that wouldn't be a problem, now, would it?" Sokka retorted.

"Hawky?" Zuko interrupted the conversation that looked to turn into a sibling argument. "You had a hawk?"

"Briefly. It doesn't matter now."

"How about Momo?" Toph suggested. The little lemur, hearing his name, perked up from his perch on Toph's shoulder and looked around owlishly.

"That's a great idea, Toph!" Aang exclaimed. "Momo, you go with Sokka. If he ties a message to you, fly back to me as fast as you can. Got it?"

"Does he really understand you?" queried Zuko doubtfully. Aang had always felt that Momo understood him better than anyone else. In any case, Momo leapt to Sokka, draping himself across his helmet.

"Close enough," Sokka decided. "Are we all ready?"

"Almost." Katara approached Aang while Zuko helped Toph into the gondola. "Take care of yourself."

"I wish –"

"Yeah, me too, but this is something Sokka and I have to do. I mean, it's our dad."

"I know," Aang conceded, finally reconciling himself to the role he was to play. "Just be careful. I'll be here if you need me."

"You always are," she murmured, smiling, and with a last hug, she scrambled up into the gondola with her brother. Aang pushed the lever to begin their journey before ducking back down out of sight.

"Well, it's just you and me, Appa," he said to his old friend. "Let's see what we can do to make this place a little more livable." Besides, it was a chance to work on his earthbending.

And try to forget the dangers the others were throwing themselves into.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: So the first major thing I changed was Sokka ignoring the resources available to him. He's never done that before, and I found it hard to believe that he, as a non-bender, thought he could just charge into a supposedly impenetrable prison alone and break someone out. Next up – the charade begins!


	2. Chapter 2: The Prison

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Katara and Toph settle in, and Katara sees Suki before Sokka does. I wrote Chit Sang out because I found him annoying and completely dispensable, especially with the other characters available to help with the escape plan.

**The Prison**

Sokka and the others rode silently in the gondola after everyone had taken their positions. Katara and Toph had their hands bound behind their backs to make it look good. Toph only needed her feet to be dangerous once she got on solid ground, but no one else was supposed to know that. Sokka stood behind his sister, while Zuko had taken charge of Toph.

"We weren't expecting new prisoners," remarked one of the two guards waiting as they stepped onto the landing platform.

"These two were just captured last night," Zuko informed him, handing over the orders that he'd expertly forged. He was pitching his voice a little lower than usual, and Sokka couldn't help but wonder if that was intentional disguise or just a sign of his discomfort.

"We didn't think a hawk would arrive before we did," Sokka added. "We traveled most of the night, and our ship dropped us off at dawn."

"Impressive," the first guard commented while reading the crimes attributed to the girls. Belatedly, Sokka realized that this was the second time Katara had talked him into getting her imprisoned. He supposed he could also have added to the list that Katara had led a revolt on a prison ship. Still, it was probably better for them not to know that she had a record of breaking out of Fire Nation jails. They didn't want to attract too much attention.

In addition to information about the new prisoners, the papers indicated that Sokka and Zuko would be supplementing the prison staff. Since they were happy to have extra bodies to share shift duty with, the guards didn't ask too many questions. Momo, however, did arouse some curiosity.

"What's with the bat-thing?" the second guard asked. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."

"Actually, it's a flying lemur," Sokka explained, rubbing Momo under his chin with one finger and making him purr with contentment. "I found him at an exotic pet store a few months ago and just couldn't resist. He's quite a specimen."

The first guard grunted noncommittally and led them to the prison yard, where it was apparently an exercise period. A fight was brewing, so their whole group waited on the outskirts to see what would happen. A pair of large, well-muscled men ran at one another and began wrestling and punching. Finally, one of them threw the other, and the second came back with a fireblast.

"No firebending!" barked a man whose shoulder emblems marked him as the captain of the guards. "Put them both in the cooler!"

Sokka was actually glad to hear that firebending wasn't allowed, since it meant Toph and Katara wouldn't be expected to use it. Of course, they could have simply posed as non-benders, but this way they didn't have to explain themselves. Still, Sokka wondered what he was throwing his sister into. This was clearly a rough place, and the guards hadn't made any effort to stop the fight until rules were broken.

As though she'd heard his thoughts, Katara sent a brief, reassuring smile back over her shoulder. He didn't know how she did things like that, especially when she couldn't even see his face. Sokka and Zuko handed Katara and Toph over to other guards to escort to their cell or cells. They couldn't volunteer to do this, of course, as it would look suspicious. Besides, Sokka and Zuko would be expected to report to the captain to receive their assignments. As the prisoners were herded back inside, they did just that. Once he had a schedule, Sokka could figure out what to do next.

--

Katara's bonds were removed just before she was shoved unceremoniously into her room. She made a thorough investigation of it, which didn't take long. Four stone walls, with a door and a barred window in one. A hard bench, bolted to the wall, that must also serve as a bed. A chamber pot in the corner. A slot at the bottom of the door that was probably used to deliver her meals.

If this room was any indication, it appeared that all of the prisoners had private cells. Rather inefficient, perhaps, but it served their purposes. She could practice different fighting stances without anyone getting suspicious if she snuck some waterbending movements in there, and if Sokka wanted to talk to her, they didn't have to worry about being overheard.

It was very hot, so coming up with sweat for waterbending shouldn't be hard. For a moment, Katara considered attempting to pull moisture out of the air, but she quickly decided against it. It was very difficult for her to use any of the techniques she'd learned from that crazy, old waterbender, as useful as they might be.

In all honesty, Katara wasn't entirely certain what she was supposed to do between now and the escape. She supposed she and Toph could help try to find Hakoda, but Sokka and Zuko were free to move about the prison, which made them much more likely to succeed. She thought about Aang, sitting alone with Appa and just waiting for them to come back or summon him. He must be lonely. She knew she already was.

Only a faint rumbling gave her warning, and she stepped back from the inner wall just as a section of the rock shifted aside, allowing Toph to enter.

"Don't you think this is a little risky?" Katara hissed to her, stepping in front of her so that a casual glance through the tiny window wouldn't reveal her presence.

"Relax," Toph waved off her concerns. "We're only three doors apart, and this place is like an open room to me. I'll know long before anyone gets here."

Katara gave up and sat on the cot/bench. She had to admit that this was a good way for them to communicate, since they couldn't act like they knew each other during the rare times they might be together publicly.

"All right, but I think you should keep your explorations to a minimum," Katara warned. "We don't want anyone finding out you're an earthbender, or they might find some more secure place to keep you."

"I'll be careful," Toph promised. There was a pause. "Don't worry, Sweetness; he'll be okay."

"What? Who?"

"Twinkle-toes, of course."

"I didn't say I was thinking about him."

"You don't have to. I can always tell when you're worried about him."

"There are a lot of people I could be worried about," Katara objected, although her thoughts had actually gone back to Aang. "My dad, or Sokka and Zuko."

"You wouldn't care about Zuko," Toph snorted. She had a point.

"Not for his own sake," Katara conceded. "But Aang does need a firebending teacher, whether I like it or not. Besides, if Zuko got captured, it might lead the guards to suspect all of us who came in with him."

"You'd do a lot for Aang, wouldn't you?"

"Well, of course. Who wouldn't? He's the Avatar." Katara was grateful that Toph couldn't see her blush.

"Uh-huh," Toph didn't sound convinced, but she stopped and listened instead of ribbing Katara further. "Someone's coming. I'd better get back." She disappeared back through the rock wall, and a short time later, a wooden tray was shoved through the slot in Katara's door. She knelt on the floor and pulled it back towards her. It bore a bowl of thin gruel, a hunk of hard bread, and a clay cup of water. Making sure that no one could see her, Katara pulled the excess water out of the gruel and made the bread absorb it. While by no means a great meal, this at least made some thicker porridge, the way she liked it, and the bread could be chewed without too much effort. When she was done, she pushed the tray back through the slot.

Katara amused herself for the next hour or so by running through sequences of waterbending forms. However, she also tried to take notice of how often guards walked past and how many of them. It was difficult to determine the passage of time, but she wanted a general idea in case they would need that information when they broke out. Eventually, one of the guards opened the door and came in, closing it behind him. Katara backed up against the cot warily.

"Katara, it's me," Sokka whispered, raising his visor. "I'm so glad I found you. This place is bigger than it looks from the outside."

"Toph's just three doors down," Katara told him helpfully.

"How do you know that?"

"She paid me a visit and told me. Have you found Dad yet?"

"Not yet. I'm splitting the search with Zuko, but it's still a big job," he sighed. "Especially since we're also trying to do our guard duties. Right now, we can wander around because we're new, but that excuse will only work for a day or so. We'll be meeting in a few hours to compare notes."

"All right," Katara nodded. "Well, you'd better go. We can't look like we know each other." Sokka nodded, lowered his visor, checked the hallway, and exited.

A couple of hours later, she and Toph were released for another exercise period in the yard. They jostled one another briefly on the way there but otherwise gave no sign of recognition. Katara had a harder time maintaining her composure, however, when she spotted another familiar face while scanning the crowd.

Suki was sitting on a stone, wearing loose rags that may once have been red but were now faded to pink. A rope served as a belt around her waist, and scuffed sandals were on her feet. Her arms were folded across her chest, and she was projecting an overall attitude of boredom. Katara knew her well enough not to be fooled, though, and was certain that the female warrior was ready to instantly spring into action if anything threatened her. Therefore, Katara had to do her best not to seem threatening. She sidled casually over to the other girl, hoping that she was within earshot when she spoke.

"Suki," she said softly, and as expected, Suki twisted her head around to see who had addressed her by name.

"Katara!" she exclaimed, standing up, but Katara shook her head faintly and looked straight ahead. Although Katara wanted to talk with her, they couldn't reveal that they already knew each other. Picking up the cue, Suki backed away warily as though expecting a threat.

"I'm new here, so it might be expected I'd try to make friends or alliances," Katara explained. "Act like you would if any other new girl showed up."

"What are you doing here?" asked Suki quietly, taking up a ready stance. Katara instead tried to give mollifying body language while they spoke, finally looking at Suki directly.

"Long story, but I'm looking for my dad. I don't suppose you'd know if he was here?"

"I don't know your father."

"Right." Katara was disappointed, but she briefly explained the invasion and how all but a handful of them had been captured. "So Sokka snuck me in as a prisoner to see if we could break Dad out, along with anyone else we know who might be here."

When she felt they had talked long enough to establish a tentative rapport, Katara relaxed her posture, and Suki again followed her lead.

"Sokka's here, too?" Suki sounded excited.

"He's posing as a guard." Katara went on to describe Hakoda.

"I haven't seen anyone fitting that description," Suki told her apologetically. "Not that I've necessarily noticed everyone here."

"That's okay," Katara said. "It was kind of a long shot, anyway. At least it's not a total waste of time and effort, now that you're here. We can break you out."

"That would be appreciated," Suki acknowledged, with a faint smile. She went on to give an account of a fight with Azula and her friends, when the Kyoshi warriors had been captured. Identified as their leader, Suki was regarded the most dangerous, which was why she'd been brought here.

"So if they realize that Dad was pretty much in charge of the invasion, they could still send him here," Katara mused.

"It's possible. It might take some time for them to decide that." Further conversation was impossible, as the whistle blew to indicate that they were to return to their cells.

"Suki's here," Katara managed to whisper to Toph on their way back.

"I know," Toph replied flatly. Katara knew should have realized that Toph would recognize her, even from a distance and with the interference of a lot of strangers, but the waterbender definitely did not understand why Toph sounded so…sulky about it.

--

Meanwhile, Sokka was standing on a parapet surrounding the prison yard. Another guard came up to join him. Although he knew who he expected to meet him, Sokka waited warily.

"Hakoda doesn't seem to be here," Zuko reported, raising his visor. Sokka's identity was already obvious by the lemur sitting on his shoulder, but he lifted his visor, too.

"That's what I came up with, too," Sokka admitted.

"So what do we do now?"

Sokka didn't answer immediately. His attention was drawn by Katara, who was moving towards someone. She was clearly being casual about it, but since he knew her, he knew she must have a reason. As he fixed his gaze on the target of her approach, his heart leapt.

"It's Suki!" he breathed, and it was just about all he could do not to try and rush to her immediately. Of course, the 20-foot drop below him helped considerably. "We can help her escape, at least."

"Who's Suki?" demanded Zuko.

"My…well, I guess she's my girlfriend." Sokka wasn't really sure you could use that word for someone you'd shared about a week and two kisses with over the course of eight months, but he couldn't deny his joy at seeing her again.

"Great," remarked Zuko sourly. "Why do you get yours, but I don't get mine?"

"You could have brought yours with you," Sokka responded.

"Maybe, but…I couldn't ask her to do that."

"Why? Is she some delicate, pampered lady who couldn't handle life on the road?" Sokka was trying to imagine the kind of girl who'd attract Zuko, and he tended to think she'd be the exact opposite of Suki. To his surprise, Zuko actually smiled smugly.

"She is from a noble family, but she's definitely not pampered," he answered emphatically. "In fact, I think you know her. Her name's Mai." Sokka felt his jaw drop. That was certainly a surprise.

"The girl with the knives and arrows who seems bored all the time?"

"That's her."

"Oh. Well, she's…really good at throwing sharp stuff." Sokka couldn't think of anything else to say, so he turned back to his contemplation of Suki. When the exercise session ended, he decided that he would find her cell.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: I kind of wondered why people at this prison didn't seem to notice a large, red balloon approaching right up to the exterior wall of the prison in broad daylight (remember, Sokka got rid of it so they wouldn't be discovered) and how Zuko and Sokka managed to get themselves accepted as guards without anyone asking how they got there.

Review responses:

Pepipanda: I can understand Sokka no longer trusting his judgment, but that's all the more reason to consult the others. I didn't get whether it was supposed to be some sort of "manhood" thing he felt he had to do alone? I thought the ice-dodging took care of that.

nutshak: Thank you. That's what I'm aiming for.

Loupami: I just found several things about the episode entirely too far-fetched. You're right; I couldn't come up with a way for Aang to get any closer, but don't worry. He'll have his part to play!

MavsGirl22: Well, I really hope I don't disappoint you. I'm trying to make this everything The Boiling Rock could have been, if the writers had just thought it through a little longer.

BlackRose108: Just because Aang and Katara are separated doesn't mean there can't be Kataang hints here and there, but I do plan to go more in depth with Sukka and Maiko than the show did. I'm guessing this will be 10-12 chapters.

poka: I don't really know what you mean.

Sifu Toph: Well, exactly. If they'd at least had a Kataang scene back at the temple, I could have forgiven the writers for leaving the rest of the characters there, but since they didn't, I was disappointed on several levels.

AirGirl Phantom: I knew I wasn't the only one who felt like they screwed up what could have been an awesome episode! Judging by the initial number of comments, a lot of people would have liked to see it done a little differently.

Kimba616: Among spoiled, rich brats in the Fire Nation, it makes sense that people wouldn't recognize Zuko, especially since he's been exiled for three years. However, wanted posters of him were all over the Earth Kingdom, and it's possible that updated descriptions/renderings have now been distributed through the military. Ultimately, the Gaang doesn't know how avidly Zuko will be sought, so it pays for them to assume that he might be recognized.


	3. Chapter 3: The Warrior

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: I hope this doesn't seem too rushed; I was really trying to get it done before I'm unavailable over the holiday weekend.

**The Warrior**

Suki went back to her cell excited. Katara and Sokka were here, and there was a good chance she would be free again soon. At least, as free as you could be when you were a fugitive from the Fire Nation. She would gladly take that over her present situation.

However, she decided to stick with her routine. That entailed going through several of her Kyoshi exercises. She didn't dare to use them in the prison yard because it would just invite someone to challenge her. Suki had no desire to fight her fellow prisoners and thought it best to save her strength for when she would really need it, like an escape attempt.

A Fire Nation mask appeared at her window, and Suki paused. Apparently, the guard had found what he was looking for and opened her door. Suki withdrew far enough to allow the door to swing inward, but then she approached again, stepping forward with one foot and swinging the other up to kick at him. She checked her motion, though, when a small, white figure glided in after the guard and landed on his helmet. Caught slightly off-balance, Suki lowered her foot and placed it behind her.

"Momo?" she asked disbelievingly, setting her foot back on the floor again. The flying lemur responded by leaping to her shoulder and winding his tail loosely around her neck. She looked at the guard with new eyes. "Then you must be…"

The man confirmed her guess when he removed his helm to reveal Sokka's grinning face.

"I'm glad to see you haven't lost your edge," he commented.

"Sokka!" Suki exclaimed as she rushed to embrace him, heedless of the hard armor that pressed against her uncomfortably or of the lemur she'd dislodged from his perch in the process. The helmet clattered to the ground as Sokka put his arms around her and they met in a passionate kiss. The last time they'd kissed was in The Serpent's Pass, and that was much too long ago.

"I knew you'd come," she added when they broke apart.

"I'm sorry it took so long," he apologized, not meeting her eyes. "It was a long time before I even knew you'd been captured."

"It's okay. You're here now."

"I should have guessed sooner," Sokka protested, withdrawing from her and turning to the side. "When Azula and the others showed up in Kyoshi uniforms—"

"They did what?" Suki interrupted. Naturally, she'd heard about the fall of Ba Sing Se. It had been highly publicized and celebrated by the guards, who especially singled out her as a foreigner to taunt with the news. However, the details had never made it down to the common prisoner, and Suki doubted that even the guard staff knew the whole story.

"They pretended to be Kyoshi Warriors," Sokka explained. "They got right into the palace of the Earth King and took down the city from the inside. Even after we escaped, it didn't occur to me….I guess I was just hoping they were imitations."

"You had no way of knowing," Suki tried to reassure him, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Even if you did, you wouldn't have known which prison I was in. I just believed in you because I've seen you overcome incredible odds before."

"And after Ba Sing Se, everything happened so fast," Sokka continued softly, almost talking to himself. "I just wasn't thinking clearly. Maybe I never was. Maybe I'm not as good a planner as I thought."

"Where's Aang?" Suki asked suddenly, remembering how Azula had found her in the first place and wanting to pull Sokka away from his self-doubt. "Is he okay? The guards said he fell at Ba Sing Se." At last, Sokka met her eyes with a faint, if sad, smile.

"He did," he said. "Suki, he nearly died there. "Actually, I think he _did _die."

"What?" Suki hadn't wanted to believe it.

"Katara brought him back somehow." Sokka held up a hand to forestall her question. "I don't even begin to understand how. All I know is that she used her waterbending ability to heal and some special water from the North Pole. I'm just glad it worked."

"Me too."

"Anyway, he and Appa are both close by, ready to fly us out of here. We couldn't really sneak them in here."

"That's understandable," Suki agreed. "I'm glad you finally found Appa." She had been wondering about that ever since her capture. The giant bison hadn't been mentioned in any of the stories about the Earth Kingdom's defeat.

"Yeah. I don't know how much Katara had time to tell you, but Toph and Zuko are here, too."

"Zuko?" Suki was in utter shock. "As in Prince Zuko? Of the Fire Nation?" _Azula's brother _she added mentally. She now had a personal grudge against them both.

"It's a long story, but he's joined us now. He's posing as a guard, like me."

Suki's head was spinning, but she had enough presence of mind to realize that they were running out of time for this conversation.

"So what's the plan?" she asked, deciding to table other concerns for the moment.

"Pretty simple, actually. Toph will tunnel us a way to the boiling lake, and Katara will create an ice path for us to cross. It will probably be easiest to do it after dark, but I still have to coordinate with everyone."

"All right. Just let me know when to be ready."

"I will," he promised. "I was hoping we could do it tonight, but I think I'll need to find out when and where they change the guards during the night shift so we can use that to our advantage. I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to, and I don't think you do, either."

"That's true, but I can wait another day or two to make sure we'll all get away safely."

Sokka nodded, and there was an awkward pause.

"Well, you'd better go," Suki advised, giving him one last kiss. Sokka bent to retrieve his helmet. He had to shoo Momo out of it, who'd been investigating and looked as though he were considering taking up residence there. Sokka scooped up the lemur and let himself out. Suki was smiling to herself after he left, the expression feeling unfamiliar on her face. Today was the first time she'd had a reason to smile in a long while. She thought she could get used to it.

--

Sokka sauntered down the hallway, a new spring in his step, although he tried to act normally when he passed other guards on his way. Maybe things weren't going exactly according to plan, but then again, he'd more or less intended to play this entire thing by ear.

He went up a set of stairs to the next level, where Katara and Toph were located. He spoke with Toph first, outlining the general plan. She seemed subdued, but Sokka was in too good a mood to let that affect him. She was probably just chafing at being confined within walls again. She'd be fine once they got back to the Western Air Temple. She already had a pretty good idea of the prison's layout and thought she could get them out quickly.

His next stop was Katara's cell, and she looked up from the bench as he entered. As he raised his visor, her eyes were focused on a spot to his left.

"That's why I didn't recognize you before!" she exclaimed. "You didn't have Momo with you."

"He found the kitchens," Sokka rolled his eyes. "I had to haul him out of there."

"I can't imagine why," Katara remarked, making a face. "The food here is barely edible."

"Well, the guard fare is better. Not much, but…" Sokka trailed off and shrugged. "Besides, you know Momo will eat – or try to eat – just about anything. Aang even said he tried to lick the slurry from that drill."

"Yuck. I really didn't need to know that."

Sokka looked over to the lemur sitting on his shoulder and found the round, green eyes gazing at him in what appeared to be reproach and bruised dignity. He petted Momo between the ears, which seemed to mollify him.

"Dad's not here," he reported. Katara nodded as though she'd expected that.

"But Suki is."

"I know. I just talked to her." Sokka knew he was going to start grinning like an idiot soon, so he shifted topics to the business at hand. "I'm going to watch the guards to find out their nighttime routine. I'm planning to volunteer for a night shift to give me an excuse to be out and about."

"Are you sure that's wise?" objected Katara. "You haven't slept since last night."

"It'll be fine. I'm hoping to get the last shift, the one that ends at dawn. That should give me time to catch a few hours of rest beforehand, and it will leave me free tomorrow morning to see everybody."

"You should use some of that time to get some sleep," insisted Katara, using her most motherly tone and expression. Sokka smiled and resisted calling her "Mom." He didn't need to antagonize her right now.

"I promise," he said instead.

"Are you going to send a message to Aang?"

Sokka paused, thinking it over.

"Not until I'm sure when we're going," he decided. "I don't really have much to tell him right now, and he already knew we'd probably be here a couple of days. I'd rather save Momo for when we need to send an urgent message. If I do it all the time, someone might notice."

"All right then. Good night."

"I hope you're able to sleep in here," Sokka remarked, really taking in the cell for the first time. "I wish I could do something to make you more comfortable."

"Don't worry about me," she assured him. "I'll be fine. You need to go. They're probably going to be serving what passes for a meal soon." Sokka nodded and allowed her to usher him out. Her statement reminded him that his own stomach was growling, and he headed for the mess to receive his dinner.

There happened to be an empty seat almost directly across from Zuko, who'd lifted his visor in order to eat, so Sokka took it. They caught each other's eye a few times but didn't dare to talk too openly. Instead, Sokka engaged his neighbors in casual conversation. In doing so, he discovered that the man two down from him was scheduled for the late-night to dawn shift and none too happy about it. Sokka volunteered to take it for him, and they agreed to speak to the watch captain about it after supper.

Sokka had just finished his meal and was getting up to take care of his tray when two guards strode across the room purposefully. They halted behind Zuko, and Sokka paused to see what was going on.

"The warden wants to see you," intoned one of the men through his masked helmet.

"What? Why?" Zuko asked.

"He didn't say. Come with us."

Zuko cast Sokka a questioning glance, but Sokka just looked back at him helplessly. He didn't know what to do. There might be an explanation other than the obvious one that Zuko had been recognized. No one was giving any indication of knowing the reason for the unusual summons. Sokka hadn't been with Zuko for most of the day, after all; maybe he'd managed to offend someone.

Sokka simply tried to act surprised and curious, as the other guardsmen were doing. He would gather more information later, but first, he had to make the arrangements for the night shift. He signaled to the guard he was exchanging duty with, and they made the switch without much fuss. Once that was done, Sokka set about tracking down Zuko's whereabouts. On the pretense of having a message for the warden, he found a cell door with two guards standing outside it. Sokka ducked back to avoid being seen by them, but he could hear some of what was going on behind the door. He stayed just long enough to hear Zuko being addressed by name.

Arriving at the barracks, Sokka decided that this piece of news did merit a message to Aang. He scribbled it quickly and tucked it into his pocket. Just before his shift began, he would attach it to Momo and send him across the lake. In the meantime, he needed to fulfill his promise to his sister and get some sleep.

--

Aang awoke to find himself in a place so dark that he couldn't tell for a moment whether his eyes were open or shut. Eventually, he recalled that he was in a cave he'd made in the ridge of the island. He'd spent a fair part of the morning building it, even making some careful ventures into the sky with his glider to make sure that it blended well with the natural rock. In all, he was quite proud of his handiwork, and he'd been dozing on and off inside it throughout the day.

The feel of Appa's fur was reassuring beneath him, and he still seemed to be soundly asleep. Aang knew something must have awakened him, however, so he paused to listen.

There it was. A soft, skittering sound above him. Concentrating, Aang placed his hand on the sloping roof to feel the vibrations it transmitted. He couldn't "see" in nearly as great a detail as Toph could, but he had learned how to understand some of what the rocks could tell him. Finally, he thought he recognized the small shape darting back and forth above him. His suspicion was confirmed when he crept out from under the overhang he'd created.

"Momo!" Aang exclaimed in a whisper, and the white lemur, illuminated by the moon's glow, darted toward him joyfully, scampering over Aang's head and down his back. Aang was trying very hard not to laugh out loud. He went back under cover, bringing Momo with him. "Do you have a message for me?" Unfortunately, since he'd specifically designed his shelter to fit the slope of the ridge, the moonlight didn't make it inside, except what little reflected from the water. Therefore, Aang risked setting fire to a small pile of sticks he'd already prepared, just in case. He could have tried to just hold one blazing hand up to read by, but his fine control wasn't well developed yet, and he was afraid he might set the scroll on fire before he got a chance to read it.

A small, rolled rectangle of parchment was tied to Momo's leg. Aang gently untied it before finding a piece of fruit to give him as a reward. Momo accepted it and withdrew to eat. The missive was hastily written in Sokka's crabbed calligraphy:

_Hakoda not here. Suki is. Zuko discovered. Stand by._

Brief and to the point – that was Sokka. He clearly hadn't wanted to waste words, and he might have been pressed for time. Aang sighed, wondering what Sokka would do next and wishing he could be more help. He hoped Sokka wouldn't decide to cut their losses and leave Zuko behind. Aang had just been getting into firebending.

Momo finished his snack and rejoined Aang, who petted him absently.

"I'll send you back at dawn," he decided aloud, and the lemur curled into his lap as though he'd understood. Aang pulled a small amount of water from the sea to extinguish the fire and tried to relax, but he doubted that he would be getting any more sleep tonight.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: Well, the plot's beginning to heat up, and I've already written part of the next because I was debating putting a different scene at the end of this chapter. Happy Independence Day to the US folks!

Review responses:

kitkat.the.pirate: Well, I appreciate your open-mindedness in being willing to endure some Kataang. I agree with your assessment of TBR.

nutshak: What are you doing in Vietnam? I'm glad I could make you feel better.

BlackRose108: I don't know if I'll attempt any more. This episode was one that just jumped out at me as having such obvious opportunities for improvement. I've long wanted to rewrite The Awakening, settling for just re-doing some scenes, but that would require the entire third season to be different.

SignsOnTheWalls: Yet I notice you've signed up for story alerts. Seriously, are you the kid of an Avatar writer? The emphasis on Zuko and Sokka was one of the things that bothered me because we just saw that plot in TFM with Zuko and Aang. I've actually simplified things by including characters we already know instead of introducing new ones (Chit Sang, the guard who antagonized him).

Vanille Strawberry: Who knows? All of this stuff seemed obvious to me, so you'd think the writing team immersed in the show and its characters could have come up with it without my help.

JESUSFREAK-And-Proud-Of-It: Thanks for the info, although there's no way steam would go even ten feet in the air with any density, let alone high and thick enough to cover a red balloon approaching.

Sifu Toph: I don't have much to say because I completely agree with everything you said about Season 3. I've also been wondering why they bothered including Teo, Haru, and The Duke in the group just to write them out of every plot since. Then they just had to add Chit Sang as another character to ignore.

AirGirl Phantom: Thank you. I think Tokka is fun but kind of unrealistic until Toph grows up a little. I do hope the show deals with Toph's apparent crush and don't have her just shrug and accept Suki.

Magnumus: I'm looking forward to that, too.


	4. Chapter 4: The Warden

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Yes, we finally get a little of Zuko's point of view.

The Warden

Zuko knew he was in trouble when he was brought to a cell rather than an office or one of the staff areas. Furthermore, he was dragged in and stripped of his armor, convincing him that his cover was blown. The guards took the armor with them, leaving Zuko in just his somewhat worse-for-wear traveling clothes and locking the door on their way out. Two other guards stood outside, on either side of the door. Someone must have thought he was very dangerous.

At first, Zuko paced nervously, but he eventually tired of that and sat in the lone chair the room contained. This piece of furniture made it look more like an interrogation chamber than a common cell. That thought was hardly comforting.

Some time later, an imposing man of middle age entered the room with another pair of guards and glared down at him. The stranger was wearing elaborate headgear and a dour expression on a face that reminded Zuko irresistibly of a hog-monkey.

"Warden?" Zuko guessed, scrambling to his feet and giving a proper bow. He couldn't think of any course other than to play his role until it became abundantly clear that it was no use.

"It has come to my attention that you have been on the wrong side of the bars here," the man said in a low, gravelly voice. He sounded disinterested, but there was a dangerous undercurrent in his tone that made the hairs on the back of Zuko's neck stand on end.

"Why?" Zuko ventured. "What have I done?" The warden narrowed his eyes.

"Enough of the charade. I know who you are, Prince Zuko." The title came out sneering, an insult, and Zuko felt his heart sink.

"How?" he choked out, sinking back down into a sitting position. The warden's face darkened with rage, and he gestured to the guards behind him. They responded quickly, hauling Zuko back to his feet.

"You will not sit in the presence of your betters!" the warden snapped, and Zuko swallowed his own anger and pride. He knew he had forfeited all advantages of his prior rank when he had chosen his present path. Therefore, he bowed his head in submission and made no answer.

"You have asked an impertinent question, but I will answer it anyway," declared the warden haughtily. "I am Mai's uncle. Of course I would know the man who broke her heart."

Zuko jerked his head up in shock, feeling his mouth drop open. He couldn't believe his rotten luck. Was it too much for him to ask for just a day or two with his sister's fortune instead? It was only with a very great effort that he restrained his tongue, waiting to be asked to speak. He knew the proper protocols, and he was going to follow them, no matter what it cost him.

"Have you any defense for yourself?" the warden intoned.

"I never meant to hurt her," Zuko mumbled weakly. In a way, he'd actually been trying to protect her and her family. However, he was fully aware of how feeble that would sound. "Please tell her."

"You'll be able to explain it to her yourself, soon enough," the warden assured him with a mirthless smile. "I'm sure she'll find it very…edifying." With that, the warden gestured to the guards again. One of them opened the door, and both followed him out.

Zuko's knees buckled, and he slumped into the chair again, mind racing. If Mai had been informed of his whereabouts, then Azula and Ty Lee would surely know soon, as well as the Firelord. Ty Lee was harmless enough, but he didn't know, at the moment, which of the other three he would rather face. He definitely wasn't looking forward to the entourage that would likely descend upon him tomorrow.

Oddly, though, the thought uppermost in his mind was not for himself. He was concerned about the danger he'd unwittingly brought upon his new companions and hoping they could find a way to escape in spite of him.

At any rate, he decided that he'd better try to get some rest while he had the chance. Seeing no other clear option, he curled up against the wall on the hard floor and pillowed his head on his arm. He'd endured worse resting-places in the last six months.

"A man needs his sleep," he heard his uncle's voice saying as he closed his eyes.

--

Momo returned to Sokka just as his shift was ending. There was no reply message, of course – they had agreed that would be far too risky – but the absence of Sokka's note suggested that Aang had received it.

"Welcome back," Sokka greeted the lemur. "Did you catch some tasty bugs?" The question was predominantly for the benefit of his fellow guards, in case they were wondering why Momo had been ranging out beyond the prison during the night.

Instead of going immediately back to the barracks, Sokka decided to go down the hallway where Zuko was being held. Two guards still stood outside the door, indicating that Zuko hadn't been moved. Unfortunately, that made it impossible for Sokka to talk to him. He'd have to bide his time and revise his plans.

Knowing that Katara would only berate him and insist he get some sleep, Sokka decided to visit Suki. He trailed behind the guard who was delivering breakfast. After Suki's plate had been shoved under the door, he waited for the other guard to go around a corner, then gave a knock and entered. This time, Suki recognized him immediately and gave him a quick hug.

"Mind if I eat?" she asked, and Sokka shook his head. He was remembering that he hadn't eaten anything since dinner the previous evening, but her meal didn't look at all appetizing, and he wouldn't have taken it from her in any case. Suki sat down on the floor and balanced her tray on her lap.

"Things have gotten a bit more complicated," Sokka admitted. "The warden knows who Zuko really is."

"What does that mean for us?"

"It _might_ mean a lot of unwanted attention. Before Zuko left the Fire Nation, he told his father that he was going to find the Avatar and help him. So if he's found here…"

"The Firelord might guess that Aang is close by," Suki concluded. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm not sure yet. There are guards on Zuko's door, which means I can't talk to him. I don't know that I want to wait around for company to show up, but my original plan depended on darkness."

"Couldn't you send Toph to Zuko through the walls?"

"Not as long as the guards are there," Sokka negated, shaking his head. "They'd probably hear her coming through the rock, and they'd definitely hear any conversation. I need more information."

"Well…" Suki paused, as though hesitant to make her suggestion. "Is it possible to leave him behind?"

"Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind," Sokka confided. "I'd rather not throw him off the bison unless we absolutely have to, though. I've had to leave enough people behind recently." The thought still gave him a pang, and that was why they were here in the first place. He couldn't remedy one mistake by making another.

"Katara told me," said Suki sympathetically. Then she added, a little defensively, "He did try to burn down my village!"

"I know that, and I don't blame you for holding a grudge. Believe me, Katara would have been even faster to suggest cutting Zuko loose than you were. But he risked a lot to help us get in here, and Aang needs a firebending teacher. At the moment, Zuko is all we've got."

"Why did you let him join you if Katara was so opposed?" asked Suki curiously.

"Aang," shrugged Sokka. "He accepted him, and Katara would do anything for Aang."

"She would, wouldn't she?"

"What do you mean by that?" Sokka wasn't sure he liked her speculative tone.

"Oh, nothing. Sokka, are you sure Toph is okay with helping me get out of here?"

"Huh?" That was an abrupt turn of the conversation, and Sokka was thoroughly confused. "Why wouldn't she be?"

"Well, it's just that…I suppose a lot could have changed since I last saw you…"

"Will you please explain what you're talking about?" Sokka was already tired and now beginning to get frustrated.

"I just have the feeling that Toph might not be too thrilled with me joining you all again." Now finished with her meal, Suki shoved her tray through the slot. Then she stood up and dusted off her clothing. It was probably gesture born of habit because there was no noticeable effect.

"What makes you think that?"

"Let's just call it woman's intuition," said Suki after a pause. Sokka strongly suspected that there was more to that story, but he was also sure that Suki had a good reason for keeping it to herself. He shook his head, making a conscious effort to set his concerns aside. If he needed to know what she (and apparently Toph) was hiding, he had to trust her to tell him when the time came.

"Well, she seems to like Zuko well enough. She was actually the first to suggest accepting him. She'd probably be willing to do it for him."

"I think you might get even better results if you frame it as a favor to you," suggested Suki delicately. Sokka had no idea why that would help; when Toph wasn't insulting him, she seemed entirely indifferent to his presence. Still, he shrugged. It made no difference to him.

"If you think that's best," he agreed. Suddenly, he was overtaken by a large yawn, and he covered his mouth. The short night was catching up with him.

"You'd better go," Suki urged. "Today's my day to work, and someone will probably come to get me soon."

"Work?" he asked blearily. He wondered how she could tell one day from another until he spotted a series of scratches on the wall and realized that she must be using it as a crude calendar.

"No time. Just go."

Sokka obediently left her cell, trying to order things in his mind. He would need to speak to Toph about a slight revision to their plan. She would now have to swing by and pick up Zuko. However, that probably wouldn't work if he was still under guard. That would mean choosing a time when everyone would be out of their cells and together somehow. But for that, they would need a distraction.

Sokka passed a hand over his eyes. He couldn't think like this. He needed to get some sleep. Hopefully, nothing would worsen too badly before he woke up. First things first, though. He headed to the mess hall for breakfast.

--

As it happened, Katara and Toph were assigned to work in the kitchens with Suki. Toph hadn't made a big issue of her blindness, so no special dispensations had been made. With as little attention as the guards tended to pay to individual prisoners, Katara thought they might not have even noticed. Although she wasn't much use at washing dishes, Toph's earthbending sense made her an excellent choice to sweep the floor, and if she used a little bending here and there to help her, Katara wasn't going to say anything as long as it wasn't too noticeable.

Katara didn't mind the work, either. It at least provided her some different scenery and something to occupy her time. When she caught herself eyeing the table scraps, however, she had to sternly tell herself that she wasn't that desperate yet. It had only been a day of substandard food, and she'd endured worse privation during their trip to the North Pole.

The stint in the kitchen also allowed Suki to explain, in hushed tones, what had happened to Zuko.

"I don't suppose we could just leave him here?" asked Katara wistfully. It would be nice to be free of him. Maybe they could track down Iroh to teach Aang firebending. Katara could live with Iroh. At least he'd helped at Ba Sing Se.

"Sokka said you would suggest that right off," said Suki with a smile. "He'd rather not do it, though." Katara sighed, thinking of what Aang would say. She tried to imagine looking into those wide, gray eyes and confessing that she hadn't done everything she could to rescue Zuko. She gritted her teeth, forced to accept the truth.

"When Sokka's right, he's right," she admitted. "I can't do it, either. Aang wouldn't." For her, that was the final answer.

"Ah." There was a pause. "Aang's very forgiving, isn't he?"

"Oh, yes," Katara responded fervently. "He's definitely not the kind to hold a grudge." It was an admirable quality, but she feared it would get him into trouble one day.

"Not like some other people we know?" Toph put in tauntingly.

"Aang's a better person than I am in a lot of ways," said Katara, not rising to the bait. "I've never claimed anything different."

"You don't have a problem with him joining you?" Suki turned to Toph, who shrugged.

"One of the things I can do is tell when someone's telling the truth," she explained. "I know he's sincere about wanting to change. And he is trying."

"_Very_ trying," Katara muttered. She hadn't been sure it was loud enough to carry, but Suki chuckled, and Toph snorted. Katara addressed her next remark to Toph. "Well, you never had him attack you or got trapped in a cave with him."

"I can't get trapped in a cave," Toph pointed out reasonably. Then, her trademark smirk appeared. "Besides, I heard you got stuck in a cave with Aang once, and that didn't seem to bother you."

Katara felt herself flushing hotly. Sokka must have told her, but he didn't know what had actually happened in the Cave of Two Lovers, which meant Toph was bluffing. Toph couldn't see Katara's blush, but Suki could, and she grinned at her knowingly.

"That was a completely different situation," Katara returned, forcing her voice to stay even. "And he didn't betray me afterwards." Admittedly, he had insulted her, but she had since received evidence to suggest that he had spoken out of embarrassment rather than disinterest.

"Everyone back to your cells," a guard announced, stepping into the kitchen and interrupting the conversation. "Captain's orders." Katara didn't think she had ever been so happy to see a Fire Nation representative.

From the words Katara caught on the way back to her cell, it sounded like an important person had just arrived, and the warden had ordered maximum security. One casual question provided the rumor that it was the warden's niece. Putting two and two together, Katara could reach only one conclusion – Zuko's girlfriend had come to settle accounts.

Katara had to suppress a smile at the thought. She would have paid a lot to see that meeting.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: And just think – by the time I post the next chapter, the series will be nearly over. Not to worry, though; the show has given me enough inspiration to probably last me for another year. Oh, and remember that Katara doesn't know yet exactly who Zuko's girlfriend – or ex-girlfriend – is.

Review responses:

nutshak: No, it actually sounds more like boot camp.:) I'm glad my stories can provide you with a bright spot at least once a week!

MavsGirl22: The Maiko was the best part of The Boiling Rock in my view. I'm afraid I don't agree with you on the "meat of friendship" line though. I thought it indescribably cheesy and a bit out of character.

Vanille Strawberry: That is true, and thank you for saying you enjoyed the last chapter. I had quite a nice long weekend!

mystery writer5775: Yes, you got Zuko's viewpoint for a change, and he will return in the next chapter. Anyway, what's a multi-chapter story without a good cliffhanger now and then?

airnaruto45: So it seems.

JESUSFREAK-And-Proud-Of-It: Well, having studied some geology…let's just say I'm skeptical. However, as you say, it's not worth arguing over. I'm having fun with Sokka, here. I've realized I haven't been writing from his point of view much lately.

AirGirl Phantom: Okay, you saw Zuko's side for a little bit. I am looking forward to writing the Mai/Zuko scene, which will lead off the next chapter. I already did a sort of warm-up in Avatar Goes Broadway ("Sue Me"), but there will be considerable differences. I didn't want to repeat myself.

Philip 456: I'm updating as fast as I can!


	5. Chapter 5: The Girlfriend

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. If I did, the entire third season would have been different.

Author's Note: Maiko! Yay! And maybe just a tiny amount of Tokka and Toko, just because I can't help myself. I did once promise this would have twice the shipping of the original, didn't I?

Incidentally, can anyone tell me what the point of The Ember Island Players was? I mean, seriously, "I'm really confused right now?" If the writers were looking for the most lame, overused line they could find, I'd say they succeeded.:P

**The Girlfriend**

Zuko woke up stiff and sore from the night spent on the floor. He was also inexplicably cold. Apparently, his new accommodations were as far from the volcano's heat as it was possible to get. He spent most of the morning (at least, he assumed it was morning) walking his cell and stretching to loosen up his joints and warm himself up. At one point, he was fed, but he otherwise received no attention whatsoever. That is, until, _she _got there.

A guard turned from his usual post as sentinel outside the door and unlocked it. When it opened, Mai stood framed in the doorway. She just regarded Zuko steadily for a long moment. Then, she flicked her eyes to the two guards.

"I want to speak to the prisoner. Alone," she said, with emphasis on the last word.

"But – the warden –" stammered one of them.

"Would want you to do as I ask," Mai finished for him. "I'm sure you don't want me to tell him you were uncooperative?" The two men exchanged glances.

"Of course, miss," said the second, nodding shortly.

"Don't worry about me," Mai added as the guards retreated, shutting the door behind them. "He won't hurt me." She turned to gaze piercingly at Zuko again. "At least, no more than he already has." Her tone was icy, and Zuko winced.

"I'm sorry, Mai," he apologized quickly.

"So you wrote," she spat. She reached into one of her voluminous sleeves and brought forth a rolled piece of parchment that Zuko soon recognized. When Mai unrolled it, he could see it was already tattered, but she proceeded to tear it to shreds and throw the pieces at him as she spoke. "A letter. A stupid, cowardly, insulting _letter._"

"I –" Zuko just barely kept himself from apologizing again. "I had to leave. I just couldn't live the lie anymore." She gave him a pitying look.

"You idiot. I'm not upset that you left."

"You're not?" That definitely threw him.

"Of course not. I could see _that _coming." Mai turned away from him. "I saw it from the ship home. I tried to distract you, hoping that maybe I was wrong. Maybe I'd be enough to change your mind."

Zuko wanted to tell her that she was enough, but they both knew she hadn't been. Their present circumstances proved that.

"I really thought I was going home to stay," he said instead. "Believe me, I never would have…started this if I'd thought I wouldn't be around."

"I'm angry that you told me in a _letter_," Mai continued, turning to face him again. Her eyes were blazing, dangerous. "That you didn't have the courage to tell me face to face that you were leaving."

"I didn't have much time before the eclipse ended. I didn't want to get involved in an argument."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe you didn't make this decision until the eclipse started?" she challenged him. Zuko took a deep breath.

"No. You're right. I'd decided before that. I didn't want anyone to find out about it before I actually left. What if Azula heard? And…I couldn't drag you into this."

"You didn't even give me the choice!" snapped Mai in one of the most passionate displays Zuko had ever seen from her. She was undeniably attractive like this. "You should have respected me enough to let me make that decision for myself!" Zuko shook his head, and it was his turn to face away from her.

"Tell me, Mai," he said slowly. He feared to hear the answer to his question, but now that they were here, he felt he had to know. "If I told you I was going to help the Avatar, to become an exile again, and if I asked you to come with me, would you have?"

"Yes," she replied with no hesitation. Zuko smiled faintly and pivoted back toward her.

"That's why I couldn't ask."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Mai was clearly taken aback.

"You would have been doing it for me, to be with me," he tried to explain. "Not because it was right or you really wanted to help the Avatar. This is my destiny, not yours."

"You don't want me with you?"

"Don't turn this around! Of course I'd rather be with you."

"Then why –?"

"Because it's not just about you, Mai!" Zuko caught himself shouting and forced himself to calm down. Mai's spoiled childhood was showing, and he shouldn't blame her for that. "You answered me just now without even thinking about it. Maybe you've had time to consider since I left, but did it ever occur to you what might happen to your family?"

"My family?" she repeated blankly, convincing Zuko that she had not.

"You might not care about them, but I do," he pressed. "My father is the Firelord, my sister his darling princess. No one can or will do anything to them." _And Mom and Uncle are both out of their reach, _he added internally. At least, he hoped that was true. "But if you were seen as a traitor like me, what do you think would happen to your father's career? To your mother and brother?"

"So you were trying to protect me?" Mai asked after a hesitation, and her tone might have been disbelief, incredulity, or something else entirely. "And my family?"

"Strange as that sounds, yes."

Mai walked around the small space as though she didn't quite know where to go from there. Clearly, this interview was not going the way she had anticipated.

"Why did you become a traitor?" she asked then, giving Zuko the impression that she was trying to regain control of the conversation.

"I'm not a traitor," he answered quietly.

"How can you say that? You've joined the enemies of the Firelord, haven't you?"

"The enemies of the Firelord are not necessarily the enemies of the Fire Nation. I'm trying to end the war and bring peace back to the world. Wouldn't that be a good thing for everyone?"

"And the colonists in the Earth Kingdom?" Mai shot back angrily. "What will happen to them?"

"I don't know," Zuko admitted, spreading his hands helplessly. "Some of them have been there for more than a hundred years, and I don't like the thought of forcing them out of their homes, but…they never should have been there in the first place."

"We were just trying to share our prosperity—"

"Stop it, Mai," Zuko cut her off. "You're smarter than that. You've lived in Omashu. Did the people there seem to appreciate you being there?"

"No…" The first signs of doubt appeared on her face.

"I've traveled all over the world chasing the Avatar, and it's the same everywhere. A Fire Nation uniform inspires instant fear and hate. My father and Azula may thrive on that, but it's not how I want to be seen. Do you?"

"That's not the point," Mai avoided his question.

"No, it isn't," Zuko agreed. "The point is, I've finally realized that my family, for three generations, has been betraying the world. Firelord Sozin intentionally disrupted the balance by colonizing the Earth Kingdom, killing Avatar Roku, and wiping out the airbenders."

"Wait – he killed Avatar Roku?"

"Left him to die," Zuko waved a hand unconcernedly. "It's the same thing."

"I can't believe it," Mai asserted. Zuko smiled tightly.

"It's even worse than that. They were best friends when they were kids. Oh, and just to put the icing on the cake, Avatar Roku was my mother's grandfather. Do you see the irony? The grandson of the man who betrayed the Avatar married his granddaughter. Why? I don't know, and I don't care. The result is me. I have the power to help restore the balance that my ancestors destroyed."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I want you to understand. I'm not a traitor. I'm just trying to undo the damage that our people have done. I think it'll be better for everyone in the long run."

"You're not a traitor," Mai conceded after a lengthy pause. "You're insane."

"If that's how you want to look at it," he shrugged. He knew that if someone had told him a year ago that he'd be in this position now, he'd have called them crazy, too. "So, how long before my sister pays me a visit?"

"You're assuming she thinks you're important enough to make a personal appearance," Mai stated flatly. However, Zuko wasn't fooled. Even if he was now beneath Azula's notice, the Avatar wasn't, so she might come seeking Aang. He gazed at Mai levelly until she looked away. "I arranged for a delay of about a day before she gets the news."

"Why?" Zuko was honestly confused by this admission, and the expression Mai gave him was indecipherable.

"So I could talk to you without being interrupted," she explained, but there seemed to be more to it than that. Mai turned toward the door, found it locked, and cursed under her breath. She pulled a slender blade or needle out of a sleeve and managed to jimmy the lock after a little effort. "We'll speak again," she added as she left.

Zuko realized that his door was now open, and he no longer had guards posted. Still, where would he go? He might as well wait and see what new plan Sokka might have up his sleeve. Besides, he was emotionally drained after that interview. Zuko slumped into his chair, surrounded by the fragments of his own writing.

--

Toph had just finished lunch when she felt a familiar set of vibrations approaching. She sat on her bench to wait, and Sokka furtively entered her cell a few minutes later.

"Hi, Toph," he greeted her. "Sheesh, a guy goes to sleep for a few hours, and everything changes."

"Yeah, the warden's niece is here," Toph supplied. "Everything's locked down." There was a stunned silence before Sokka began to laugh. Toph frowned, not getting the joke.

"No way!" Sokka gasped finally. "Mai is the warden's niece? Oh man, and I thought _I_ was a guy who couldn't catch a break."

"It's really not that funny," Toph admonished. Suddenly, the name clicked. "Wait, Mai? Wasn't that one of the girls with Azula? The one who let us have the Earth King's bear?"

"Yes," affirmed Sokka, and Toph could swear he was actually wiping a tear from his eye. "That's Zuko's girlfriend."

"No way," muttered Toph in her turn. "She could recognize us! What are we going to do?"

"Take it easy," Sokka placated her. "She's pretty occupied with Zuko right now, and I doubt she's going to go around exploring and interviewing prisoners, so I just need to stay out of her way. Anyway, we might not have much time. I need you to do me a favor."

"Name it." The words jumped out before she could stop them, and Toph kicked herself mentally for sounding so eager. Clearly, she'd already been cooped up too long. She tried to salvage the moment. "I mean, you know, unless I come up with something better to do."

"Right." She could hear the smile in his voice. "I just walked past the place they're holding Zuko, and the guards are gone. I'm pretty sure I heard Mai in there talking to him, but we might have an opportunity after she leaves but before the guards come back. Do you think you could get to him?"

"That depends. Where is he?"

"He's up two levels and to the right, all the way to corner. I mean, right if you're facing the back wall of your cell from the doorway."

Toph pressed her hands to the wall, concentrating. There was too much interference from this distance to confirm where Zuko was, but she thought she knew where she needed to go.

"It's going to take me a little time, but I can make it," she announced confidently.

"Good. I'll stand guard outside your door to make sure nobody notices you're gone. Just tell Zuko we still want to get him out of here with us, and see if he knows what they're going to do with him."

"Okay," Toph agreed, opening a section of the wall.

"Oh, and Toph?"

"What?"

"Thanks."

Toph tried to ignore the flush of pleasure she received at the gratitude in his voice. She was being ridiculous, and she knew it. Then again, that knowledge probably only made the situation worse.

She made her way to Zuko's cell, where she heard him arguing with Mai. Toph was surprised by the passion Zuko displayed in explaining what he was doing and why. It struck Toph forcefully, perhaps because she hadn't had to think that hard to leave home. Her joining the Avatar had simply been a matter of seeking some freedom from her over-protective parents. Nobody was considering her a traitor to her country or family, but that was the position Zuko was in. No wonder he was so anxious to be accepted by their group. He literally had nowhere else to go.

Mai spent some time at the door and left, and Toph hestitated to be certain that the guards had not yet returned. This was her chance.

"Hey, Zuko," she tried to send her voice through the wall. She had learned not to come upon him unawares. Then, she made herself a door. "It's me, Toph."

"Oh. Hi." He seemed listless, and after what she'd just heard, Toph wasn't too surprised.

"That sounded pretty rough," she commented tentatively.

"No worse than I deserve," Zuko sighed. He sounded so forlorn that Toph wished she had more time to spend cheering him up. Unfortunately, she didn't.

"Look, I don't know when those guards will be back," she said. "I'm just here to tell you that we haven't forgotten about you."

"Well, that's comforting."

"It should be!" Toph snapped. "Stop moping about what you don't have and think about what you have. Do you know what they're planning for you?"

"No idea. I'm sure Mai intends to come back and berate me some more. She probably just went to get some more fuel by eating lunch."

Toph had to struggle not to giggle. Zuko was even funnier in the face of a hopeless situation than Sokka, and that was saying something.

"All right. I don't know what the new plan is, but we'll keep you informed as much as we can."

"I'll be ready." Zuko paused. "Azula will probably be here some time tomorrow."

"I heard."

"You still want to stick around for that?"

"We might be out of here by then," Toph pointed out. Then, she smirked. "Even if we're not, you're part of this family now, and I think there's more than one of us who'd like a re-match. Oh, I think your honor guard is coming back."

"Okay, go," Zuko urged as Toph stepped back through her improvised doorway. "And…thanks." Toph gave a curt nod, pulling the wall shut between them. Toph paused to listen, surprised to hear that the guards were escorting Zuko out of his room. She followed them through the rock until she could tell they were putting him in a regular cell. Satisfied, and realizing how long she was taking, she made her way back to her own cell to report to Sokka. As she walked, she reflected that two guys had shown her gratitude and appreciation today. Too bad they both already had girlfriends….

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: I felt that I just had to make reference to the fact that, aside from a few Sokka crush moments, Toph has been left out in the cold when it comes to canon shipping. Fanon shipping for her, of course, is alive and well.

Review responses:

Vanille Strawberry: I guess you could say I'm pumped to write more fanfiction. The new episodes help, too.:)

Marisol Maza: If you think this is epic, you should check out Destiny's Call. It is long, though. Anyway, I agree that it would have been much more efficient to incorporate Zuko into the group by forcing everyone to work together as a team. Boiling Rock would have been a perfect situation for that.

airnaruto45: That's okay; most of us prefer it that way. I do wish you'd provide more context for some of your reviews, though.

JESUSFREAK-And-Proud-Of-It: That's pretty much the way my mind works, so I guess that's why I can identify with Sokka. Plus my husband is also the "meat and sarcasm guy."

Jeni27: Thank you very much. I'm quite tired of the "one group member goes on a mission with Zuko" plot, but I have to admit that The Southern Raiders was very good.

Illico: You got your wish. As you can see, I made it a lot longer and more in-depth than in the actual episode. Maiko always seemed weird to me, but at least one of them has used the "L" word now.


	6. Chapter 6: The Dilemmas

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**The Dilemmas**

Sokka spent a nervous time guarding Toph's cell as he waited for her to come back. However, with the prison on temporary lockdown, there wasn't much traffic down the corridors. The most uncomfortable moment occurred when female guard came by.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"This is the prisoner who came in with Prince Zuko," Sokka replied, thinking fast. "The warden assigned me to keep an eye on her. He thinks she might be a co-conspirator." He carefully kept his helmet in front of the small window to prevent the guard from seeing that Toph was, in fact, not there. A runnel of sweat made its way down the middle of his back. Fortunately, the mention of the warden seemed to have an almost magical effect.

"Carry on, then," said the guard grudgingly. "I hope they send the so-called prince home. All this extra security is stretching us pretty thin. And to top it off, we've got new blood coming in tomorrow."

"New blood?"

"You didn't hear? A message came with the ship that brought the warden's niece. We're getting a batch of new prisoners in the morning."

"I'll be at the gondola waiting for them," Sokka promised. He waited until the guard was out of sight before he let his breath out in a sigh of relief. However, his heart was pounding quickly in his ears as he considered the ramifications of this news.

After a few more agonizing minutes, he heard the sound of rock moving. Checking down the hall both ways, he entered Toph's cell again.

"You took long enough," he complained.

"Hey, I don't see you volunteering to walk through walls," Toph sniped back.

"I'm sorry. It was just…never mind. What did you find out?"

"He doesn't know what their plans are, but they've moved him to a regular cell on the same level."

"You mean, without guards?" Sokka was hopeful at this turn of events.

"Yeah, at least for now."

"That means I can talk to him. I'm sorry I might have sent you up there for nothing."

"I don't think it was for nothing. I heard some of his conversation with Mai."

"And?" Sokka prompted.

"And it sounds like we're going to have company tomorrow."

"Yeah, we're getting more prisoners," answered Sokka absently. "My dad might be one of them."

"What? I was talking about Azula and Ty Lee."

"Huh?" Sokka snapped back to the present. "They're coming?"

"Well, what did you think? The Fire Nation knows Zuko's here. It's not that much of a stretch to think they'd try to find Twinkle-toes here, too, not to mention the rest of us."

Sokka wavered, considering his options. At last, he shook his head and sighed.

"I've put you all in too much danger already," he decided. "The rest of you will need to make your escape tonight. I'll stay until –"

"No way, Snoozles," Toph interrupted him, and there was a familiar, stubborn set to her jaw. "Your dad was the whole reason we came here in the first place. We're all going to see this through to the end."

"I can't ask you to do this," Sokka protested.

"And you're not. I'm _telling _you. Do you really think your sister would let you go through this without her?"

"No, she wouldn't."

"I don't think Suki would want to leave you here, either," Toph continued reasonably. "Besides, if we break out, security's going to be even tighter, making it almost impossible for you and your dad to escape. And you won't have your benders to help you."

"I know, it's just…" Sokka paused, trying to find the right words. "Everything's getting so complicated. I don't even know if the nighttime idea will work anymore. I don't think you're going to have time to collect Katara, Suki, and Zuko before somebody notices one of them is missing and sounds the alarm."

"I probably won't," Toph agreed.

"And if we're going to wait until tomorrow, I think we'll want the attempt to be as early as possible after Dad arrives. Assuming he's even going to be there." Sokka felt compelled to add the doubts.

"Okay, so what are our options?"

"I think we'll have to time it for an exercise period. Hopefully, they'll resume those tomorrow. We can't stay on lockdown forever."

"What if Azula shows up before then?"

"We'll have to fight our way out."

"Awesome!" Toph commented, pumping her fist.

"You know, we really are trying to avoid that," Sokka reminded her.

"Yeah, but I'm an earthbender," she shot back. "I'd rather face things head-on than duck and hide."

"We'll keep that as a last resort. Okay, so here's the basic plan. During the first outdoor session after my dad arrives, we'll all meet in the southeast corner of the exercise yard. You'll blaze a way for us to the lake, and Katara will make her bridge."

"You know, there's still one problem with this plan."

"What's that?"

"I can't see on ice."

"Don't worry," Sokka assured her. "We'll all be there to guide you." She still didn't seem too sure about it, but she shrugged.

"You've probably been here long enough," she told him. "Catch you later, Mastermind."

Furtively, Sokka left to make the rounds of his other accomplices before reporting to his next duty.

--

Mai picked at her meal, too preoccupied to think about eating. She was confused. Zuko had made a lot of sense, and the things he'd said made her question everything she'd been raised to believe. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

She found herself wondering why she'd come here. Of course, she'd wanted the chance to face off with Zuko after his breakup letter. She'd done that, so maybe the best thing to do at this point would be to simply cut her losses and leave.

However, that didn't seem like a viable option. Azula would be coming and would expect Mai to have made some effort to find out where the Avatar was. On the other hand, both of them knew that Zuko wasn't likely to give up that information. Besides, now that she thought back on it, Zuko had never actually admitted that he'd found the Avatar.

This brought her to another uncomfortable thought – what was Zuko doing here? There had to be some reason that a traitor to the Firelord would sneak into the most secure Fire Nation prison there was. It was something she hadn't thought to ask him.

Mai tapped her chopsticks thoughtfully against her plate. She could think of only two reasons Zuko would have taken such a risk. There was either some information he expected to gain, or he wanted to break someone out. She supposed she ought to ask who might have come in with him.

Frankly, Mai didn't care that much about the Avatar. She was sure she would survive, no matter who was in charge of the world. However, her curiosity was piqued about Zuko's motives. Abandoning her lunch, she went to find him.

There were guards posted on the end of the corridor where Zuko had been held, and a quick question provided her with his new location and an escort to his cell. Family connections did have their advantages, on occasion.

The guard let her in, and she glanced around at Zuko's new accommodations. They weren't much of an improvement over the other room, except that there was something that passed for a bed. He was sitting on it at the moment.

"Why are you here?" Mai demanded, with no preamble.

"Why are any of us here?" he responded philosophically as he gazed at the ceiling.

"Great. Now you sound like your uncle." To Mai's surprise, Zuko smiled.

"Thank you," he said simply. Now Mai was starting to get angry again.

"Don't play with me, Zuko," she snarled, whipping a knife out of her sleeve in the blink of an eye and pressing it to his throat. He gazed back at her impassively, which unnerved her. She couldn't tell whether he really wasn't afraid to die or just knew that she wouldn't be able to do it. Her hand tried to shake, but she held it steady with an iron will.

"I'm not playing," he whispered. "This is all deadly serious to me."

Mai began to say that it was to her, too, but she stopped. That wasn't entirely true. All she really cared about was Zuko, and she was mad at him for finding something he could care about more than her. She both pitied and envied him for that.

"Why did you come to this prison?" she tried again.

"You don't really care."

"For the Fire Nation, no. For you, yes."

"Why?"

Mai ground her teeth. She was supposed to be asking the questions here. Somehow, he made her lose all focus. It wasn't just the fact that she still loved him. There was this eerie calm about him, something that hadn't been there the last time she'd seen him. It made her feel at a disadvantage, even when she was the one holding the knife. She didn't understand it, and she hated things she didn't understand.

"I'm curious what could be so important that you'd risk getting taken prisoner and dragged before your father," she admitted, hoping that this would get her closer to an answer.

"I'm trying to help someone," said Zuko. It was an answer, but it didn't really tell her anything.

"The Avatar?" she guessed.

"Not quite."

"One of his friends?" Her only response to this was a non-committal shrug, a delicate operation with the knife blade still on his neck. "And what were you trying to accomplish?" Zuko raised his expressive, golden eyes to meet hers.

"Mai, you know I can't tell you that."

"I could kill you right now," she threatened. A week ago, she'd been enraged enough she could probably have done it without blinking twice. Unfortunately, now…she'd had too much time to think.

"Go ahead," he offered, actually lifting his head a little to give her better access. "My life's not worth as much as I once thought." Mai was completely taken aback, both by his words and his apparent sincerity. She shifted the knife in her hand, drawing blood. At the sight of it, she gasped and pulled back. Zuko hissed between his teeth but gave no other indication of feeling the cut.

Mai stared at the glistening red drop on her sharp blade. Finally, as though in a trance, she wiped it off on a corner of her overskirt, just as she'd been taught.

"You must always clean your weapon after using it," she recalled her instructor's voice. "Don't let it rust."

When she looked up, Zuko was scrutinizing her carefully. His expression held a mixture of concern and relief. Uncharacteristic tears sprang to Mai's eyes as she realized that she had given up the game. He had won without doing anything. Back at home, when they had been together, she'd grown to like the fact that he could make her lose control. Here, though, it was a weakness, one that he now knew about.

"I hate you," she murmured, sheathing her knife and trying to put all of the venom she could into her voice. Her intent was to pour all of the pain at his leaving and her current helplessness into those three words and throw them away. It was the only way she could go on.

"I'm sorry," he said, and the fact that he really seemed to mean it only made it worse. There seemed to be nothing more to say, so she called to the guard to let her out. She couldn't concentrate enough to do it herself. She left without looking back.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: So this would be about the halfway point of the show. I know, Hakoda showed up here in the episode, but I brought Mai in early, so I had to push his arrival back.

Review responses:

flatliner15: Actually, I liked The Southern Raiders, although I recognize it had some weaknesses, and the beginning was crazy and rushed. What did you think of Ember Island Players? It would have been okay with me except for the horribly written anti-Kataang scene.

Vanille Strawberry: I don't blame you; I'm still struggling not to obsess over EIP. At least if they'd resolved it in the finale by having Katara throw herself at Aang after the battle, I could have lived with it, even though the original scene sounded like it was written by a 14-year-old Zutaran using every relationship cliché ever spoken.

nutshak: It's funny how the guys seem to think Aang was at fault in that scene, but seriously, Katara could have given one straight answer. Between this series and Harry Potter, I'm really getting sick of writers who seem to think girls are incapable of making a move. After the DOBS kiss, it was clearly Katara's turn to do or say something.

airnaruto45: Thank you. I thought the depth was missing from the episode. I'm sure part of the conversation would have been cut in final editing if this were really a show, but that's okay.

Wheathermangohanssj4: Well, I wouldn't call him a pimp because that would mean he'd be farming those girls out to other guys. However, he does seem to have some sort of ineffable charm.

Fusion Blaster: I don't know how I would re-write Ember Island Players entirely. The only thing I thought was truly horrible was the conversation between Aang and Katara (see above comments).

IceFire9: Thanks; that's what I was going for.

Shawn45: I think you'd be surprised how much writing it takes to come up with an episode. Check out the episode transcripts on Avatar Spirit if you don't believe me. I've plotted this out so that two chapters equal approximately one segment of a show. While the dialogue chapters might take slightly longer, the ones with mostly description and action are much faster on film.

Vegeta the 3rd: I didn't like the Zuko field trip plot device, and the show itself made fun of it later. The pride reason just sounded uncharacteristically illogical to me.


	7. Chapter 7: The Father

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: This has a bunch of pretty short scenes to get everything set up.

**The Father**

The rest of the day passed relatively uneventfully. After due consideration, Sokka decided not to visit Zuko yet. He would need to do that once their plans were finalized, and he didn't want the guards posted at either end of the corridor to notice him going to Zuko too frequently. However, Sokka did send Aang another note, both to let him know Hakoda might be arriving and to warn him to look out for Azula. In addition, he made a few well-placed comments about the prisoners becoming restless due to being kept in their cells so much. He hoped this would ensure that a suggestion to allow them some exercise would reach the warden by tomorrow. The groundwork was laid.

As he'd promised, Sokka was on the platform waiting when the gondola came to rest. There was quite a long string of prisoners that emerged, and having been on it once before, he assumed that this had to have been an uncomfortable ride.

_Please be here, please be here, _Sokka repeated over and over in his head as each new person stepped out. He was just beginning to despair that his father was among them when the familiar face and figure emerged. Hakoda's Water Tribe clothing had been replaced by a shapeless brown tunic and trousers, but everything else was just the same. Sokka sighed with relief as he pulled down his visor to prevent his father from recognizing him and giving him away.

After something of an orientation in the yard for the new prisoners, Sokka unobtrusively followed to see where his dad would be housed. Once he'd marked the location, he locked one of the other new arrivals away and waited for the traffic to clear before returning. Entering Hakoda's cell, Sokka shut the door behind him. His father was looking at him distrustfully, but his expression changed to include confusion when he spotted Momo.

"Is that a flying lemur?" asked Hakoda cautiously. "I haven't seen too many of those." Sokka sighed and lifted his visor. He was beginning to get tired of this.

"Dad, it's me," he announced.

"Sokka!" Hakoda immediately rose to embrace his son. "What are you doing here?"

"Breaking you out, actually."

"But – you must have been here before I was."

"Long story," Sokka waved a hand, knowing that he would have to make this quick. "Short version is, Katara and Toph are here pretending to be prisoners, Aang's just outside in hiding, and Prince Zuko is here, too."

"Wait – Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation?" Hakoda interrupted incredulously.

"Yeah, he's with us now. Had a fight with his father and decided to teach Aang firebending. He came in as a guard, too, but he got found out. There's also this girl…" Sokka paused here, suddenly remembering that his dad didn't know Suki yet and at a loss how to briefly describe her. "You don't know her, but she and I go way back. I met her on Kyoshi Island."

"Kyoshi?" Hakoda commented. "That sounds familiar. There were some young women in the last place I was kept. I think they called themselves Kyoshi Warriors."

"Yeah, Suki's their leader. I guess that's why they brought her here."

"They sent me here when they found out I was the chief of the Southern Water Tribe," Hakoda commented, nodding his agreement with Sokka's assessment. Sokka swiftly outlined their basic plan.

"We're going to need a distraction, though," he concluded. "Something to keep most of the guards occupied while we make our escape."

"I think we can come up with something," said Hakoda confidently, and Sokka grinned, happy to be able to plot with his father. However, he quickly sobered again.

"There's another problem," he added. "Zuko's sister, Princess Azula, may show up any time. She definitely will _not_ be on our side."

The pair of warriors proceeded to put their heads together, attempting to plan for every contingency they could think of.

--

Katara was bored. Supremely, unarguably, and in all other ways, completely bored. She hadn't seen the outside of her cell in an entire day, and she now knew every crack and crevice in her four walls as well as any earthbender could boast. Inaction had never really suited her, and she could only imagine how Aang must feel, forced to sit for several days in hiding.

As a result, she greeted her brother's arrival with rather more exuberance than she might otherwise have displayed.

"What's going on?" she demanded as soon as the door had shut behind him and she'd given him an impulsive hug. "I hate being locked up like this."

"Dad's here," Sokka told her shortly.

"That's great!" Katara exclaimed before he could say anything more. "How is he?"

"He's fine, and we've got a plan. They should be letting you all out for exercise in a couple of hours. We need to start a prison riot. Do you think you guys can handle it?"

"Suki and I should be able to manage, with Dad's help," answered Katara after a moment's thought. "I don't think Toph can get involved because she can't really fight without bending." Granted, that was Katara's method of choice as well, but she had managed to pick up some hand-to-hand combat techniques along the way.

"Actually, I'm going to ask Toph to do something else, anyway," Sokka admitted. "Since Zuko's not exactly being treated the same as the other prisoners, I want her to make sure he gets out okay."

"Good idea," Katara conceded, not having considered that. She wouldn't be exactly heartbroken if Zuko couldn't escape with us, but she could grudgingly accept the wisdom of her brother's thinking. "What if the other girls show up?"

"Pretty much the same plan," Sokka shrugged. "We'll let the chaos of the riot cover us as long as possible as we make our escape. If they spot us, we fight and summon Aang and Appa to bail us out."

"You're assuming they won't find us before the exercise period," Katara pointed out.

"Well, yes. I'm hoping they won't get here much before then, and once they do get here, they'll be focused on Zuko. They may also get tied up questioning the warden to see what he knows. With any luck, we'll be out of here before Azula is sure we were ever here."

"You're believing in luck now?" wondered Katara with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't have much left to believe in."

"What about Aang?"

"You've pretty well cornered the market on that," Sokka replied. Katara flushed hotly and took her usual refuge from embarrassment by arguing. Besides, she hadn't had a good argument in several days, and surprisingly, she missed it.

"I'm not the only one who's ever believed in the Avatar," she retorted.

"Ah, but you didn't say the Avatar, did you?" Sokka shot back philosophically. "You specifically said Aang."

"Like there's a difference? He _is _the Avatar."

"I don't even know what we're arguing about," he waved a hand dismissively. "Besides, I've already designated Aang as our backup, haven't I?"

"Well, yes."

"Just meet us in the southeast corner of the yard after you've got the fight started."

"Okay," Katara agreed meekly, recognizing that he was putting an end to the conversation. Whether she liked it or not, Sokka was in charge of this particular situation.

After he left, Katara found herself distracted by her own thoughts. Yes, Aang was the Avatar, but he was a person, too, and one that seemed to mean more to her with each passing day. She spared one last thought to wonder how he was occupying himself before sternly turning her mental preparations to the upcoming escape.

--

Mai hadn't come back. Not that Zuko had really expected her to, but it meant that Zuko had nothing to do but wait for his sister to show up. Needless to say, this was not exactly a pleasant way to spend a day. Contemplations of his likely fate absorbed him enough, however, that he was startled when a visor peered into his cell.

"Zuko, it's me," Sokka whispered through the small window before letting himself in. His eyes widened when he got a good look at his co-conspirator. "What's that?" He was pointing at a spot below Zuko's face.

_What does he expect me to say? I cut myself shaving? _thought Zuko wryly. He ran his hand over the two-day growth of stubble on his chin and then fingered the thin scab Mai had left on his neck.

"What? Oh, this?" Zuko grimaced. "Love bite from Mai."

"So I guess it's dangerous to date a warrior," Sokka offered cautiously. "Maybe I should be reconsidering." Zuko actually allowed himself a faint smile.

"I doubt you'll have the same problem, but you didn't come here to ask about my love life," he deflected coolly. "You have news?"

"Uh, yeah," Sokka visibly shook himself to remember what his reason for being there was. He related that his father had arrived and described the plan they'd concocted. His recitation sounded like he'd repeated it many times, until he got to the last part. "I've tasked Toph with making sure you get out safely. When the doors open, she'll fade into the back of her cell and come here. If you're still locked in, she'll get you and lead you to the yard. I didn't want you to be too surprised when she shows up. Clear?"

Zuko nodded thoughtfully to show that he understood.

"You guys are taking a big risk for me," he said slowly, loyalty to his new group – or family, as Toph had put it – warring with self-preservation. "You don't have to, you know."

"Actually, we do. You were right before. Aang does need a firebending teacher, and for now, you're all we've got." Sokka paused, looking away for a moment. Then, he met Zuko's eyes directly. "Besides, you took a big chance coming in here for us. We owe you for that. If anyone still doubted your story, I don't think they can anymore."

"Like Katara?" suggested Zuko shrewdly. He knew well enough that she still didn't like or trust him, and he really couldn't blame her. The betrayal of his uncle was the worst thing he'd done in Ba Sing Se, but betraying Katara's kindness probably ran a close second.

"Like her," Sokka agreed with no trace of embarrassment. "I'd better go. Remember, we're meeting in the southeast corner of the yard."

--

Aang was daydreaming when he heard the noise. Sitting and doing nothing for two entire days was definitely not his idea of an adventure, so he'd been slipping into his own thoughts more and more. He was currently thinking about how Katara had looked the last time he saw her. It may have been a guilty pleasure, but he had to admit he really did like that Fire Nation outfit she'd swiped.

He was realizing that the prison had a lot of traffic for such a secure location. There had been two ships, one yesterday and one today. He had not dared to look too closely at these, but he assumed that the second one had contained the prisoners Sokka had written about last night. Now, Aang heard the distinctive sound of a war balloon releasing some of its hot air so that it could descend.

Deciding that this merited special consideration, Aang finished giving Appa his midday ration of the bundled grasses they'd brought along for the purpose and moved quietly to the concealed entrance of his cave. Clinging to the underside of his constructed overhang like a monkey, he climbed to a point where he could see the object approaching from the sky. This was not one of the smaller, red Fire Nation balloons but a gray, full-sized airship.

Wanting to watch closely without being seen, Aang carefully pulled rock around himself as camouflage, leaving only his eyes uncovered. This allowed him to move into the open without revealing his presence. As the airship drew ever closer, he took up a position lying flat below the cave's entrance, blending in with the volcanic rock.

His patience was rewarded when the ship landed and two figures stepped out of the base. Aang recognized Azula and Ty Lee, and while it occurred to him fleetingly that such a large vehicle was overkill to carry two people, that wasn't his foremost thought.

"That's not good," he muttered to himself, lips hardly moving because of the rock covering his mouth. He considered his options. He could try to ambush them, but he was barely a match for Azula alone; he doubted he could take them both. Besides, a fight like that would confirm any suspicions Azula might have about his friends being inside and was bound to attract attention from the prison. That would make it much more difficult to get the others out safely. He decided to hold his position and wait.

It wasn't easy, but Aang managed to remain motionless while the two girls ascended to the platform, summoned the gondola, and got on it. When he was sure they were gone, he stood up and allowed the rock to fall away from him. He turned to regard the airship sitting on the dock below. If he couldn't stop Azula and Ty Lee from reaching the prison, he could certainly slow down their pursuit once they got out of here. After all, he had a volcano of rock, an ocean full of water, and all the air he could ever wish. He wouldn't even need fire.

Aang smiled mischievously, thinking that Sokka would be proud of him for thinking so far ahead. Besides, this was going to be fun. Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, he got to work.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: I know I haven't included Suki for a while, but she'll be prominent in the next chapter. I think I'm going to have to keep doing these short segments because a lot of things will be happening simultaneously. It does make it a little more exciting, too, doesn't it?

Review responses:

Mystery writer5775: It's kind of a long story, but it really started with charleegirl and Jesus.Lives, and I joined in. It's a group of writers who support Kataang and like Sokka, especially his name for the team. We really just agreed to put that note in our fics. It's mostly faded away now, and even I forget to include it sometimes.

Vanille Strawberry: Thanks!

nutshak: Well, that EIP scene was just badly written all around, and I'm trying not to think about it anymore. Anyway, thanks for the review.

superdoglac: I believe I wrote you at length how I felt about EIP, and I hope I didn't turn you off to my writing entirely. I am happy that you think this story is turning out well so far.

wheathermangohanssj4: Well, I could argue that there are fine distinctions between the different words, but I'm not going to. Glad you like the story.


	8. Chapter 8: The Princess

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Happy Olympics 2008! Several people have commented that they think this is too long for two episodes, so let me give my rationale. I know that 120 pages is the typical length for a 90-minute movie script. I was aiming for this to be half of that, so I originally figured 12 chapters at 5 pages each or 60 pages. While I realize that a script page and a page of prose are not the same, it seemed a reasonable guideline. Furthermore, I now think this will be done in 10 chapters, possibly 11, and I've long said that my 15-chapter Avatar in Training story contained only enough material for 2 or 3 episodes.

**The Princess**

Princess Azula stepped off of the gondola and witnessed the surprise of the waiting prison guards an instant before they prostrated themselves before her.

"P-princess," one stuttered, his voice muffled because his face was to the floor. "We weren't expecting you."

"Of course you weren't," she said, affecting the attitude of bored arrogance that suited her so nicely. "That was the point. Take me to the warden, and bring Mai to us. I wish to speak with both of them."

"At once, Princess." The guards rose and formed a sort of escort for Azula and Ty Lee. It was a slow-moving procession, but Azula wasn't too worried about that. Darling Zuzu wasn't going anywhere.

"Welcome, Your Highness," the warden greeted her, bowing in a manner appropriate to his position. "To what do I owe the honor of your presence?"

"I think you know that," she replied. "I'm here to collect my brother. But first, I need to get some information."

"Anything I can command is at your disposal," the warden assured her.

"Naturally," Azula agreed. Just then, Mai entered, also escorted by a guard. "So, Mai, have you found out why Zuko came here?"

"He wouldn't tell me," Mai shrugged disinterestedly. "I think it had something to do with one of the Avatar's friends." Azula nodded shortly and turned to the warden.

"Did anyone else come in with him?" she asked. The warden appeared taken aback by the question.

"I do not meet new prisoners or guards myself," he announced, drawing himself up. "There should be some records from the time of his arrival two days ago, or the captain of the guard might know."

"Oh, never mind," said Azula impatiently. Conducting interviews sounded too tedious, and she might not have much time to find with whom Zuko was plotting. "I'll just go talk to him. Coming, Mai?"

"He's all yours," Mai replied, waving a hand and sinking into a chair in her uncle's office. "I'm done with him." She looked away as she said that, so that Azula couldn't read her expression, but the tone of finality in her voice seemed real enough.

"Do you want me to come with you, Azula?" Ty Lee finally spoke. Azula mulled it over for a moment.

"No," she decided. She was going to say more, but a loud horn sounded throughout the building. "What was that?"

"That was the signal that the prisoners are going out for their afternoon exercise," the warden explained.

"Well, make sure Zuko stays in his cell," Azula ordered, and the warden immediately sent a guard to make sure of that. "And have someone take me there. Mai, Ty Lee, stay here in case I need you." She then followed the guard indicated by the warden as her appointed guide. It was time to pay her little brother a visit.

--

Suki was actually a little excited as she joined the press of people heading outside. She was finally going to get to use some of the techniques she'd been practicing throughout her incarceration. Although trained as a warrior, it had never been her object to pick a fight. Now, however, that was precisely the point, and the prospect was somewhat exhilarating.

Katara and the man who must have been her father met her in the yard, and Katara introduced him as Hakoda. All three looked around furtively, trying not to be too obvious that they were colluding. They quickly sketched out their plan, with more detail than Sokka had been able to offer them individually.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" asked Suki worriedly. Katara was a powerful waterbender, but she hadn't had any other fighting experience that Suki knew of.

"I've seen enough fights that I think I can manage," Katara assured her. "And I know a few tricks of my own."

"Okay then. Let's get more to the middle of the crowd," Suki suggested, setting off and letting the other two follow at their leisure. Once there, Suki whirled and began the charade. "You pushed me!" She threw a punch at the younger girl. Fortunately, Katara's reflexes were good, and she blocked it with her wrist. They had obviously had no time to rehearse this, so they were playing everything by ear.

"Did not!" Katara snarled back, looking very convincing as she made a grab for Suki's hair. Suki tossed her head to the side and kicked out with one leg in the same motion. Katara dodged the kick and responded by hooking one of her feet behind Suki's knee. Suki allowed that knee to bend, shifting her weight to her other leg as she prepared for another punch. She had to admit that Katara was no slouch at this. The two girls began to draw attention, and they were shortly being egged on by general whoops and jeers as the spectators chose sides. The next phase was Hakoda's, and he came in right on cue.

"Outta my way," his voice demanded from off to the side. His job was to make sure the fighting spread, but Suki couldn't spare any attention at the moment to check on his methods. The trick about mock-fighting was to make it look serious while not actually hurting each other. Without real practice, that was a lot harder than it sounded.

However, the noise and firebending that began to rise around them soon gave evidence to the success of Hakoda's efforts. Finally, the guards had to get involved to try and restore order, and Suki met Katara's eyes. The Water Tribe girl nodded slightly, and they stopped their sparring as the riot closed in around them. This allowed them to surreptitiously withdraw from the chaos. They made their way to the corner where everyone was supposed to meet. Sokka greeted Suki with a hug.

"Impressive," he complimented as Hakoda caught up with them. He had a split lip but otherwise appeared unharmed. Sokka looked around after greeting his father and made the observation Suki was also noting. "Where are Toph and Zuko?"

"We have other problems," Katara informed him, pointing to the parapet that looked down onto the yard. Suki followed her pointing finger to see the same three girls that had put her in this place. While a big part of Suki wanted some payback, she realized that taking the time to battle them could prevent her and the others from escaping, so she fought down her initial impulse.

Of course, if Toph and Zuko didn't show up soon, they might have no choice but to fight. The battling prisoners were covering their group from the princess and her friends at the moment, but there was no telling how long that would last. Exchanging a glance with Sokka, Suki knew how much he didn't want to be forced into a difficult decision, and she fervently hoped he wouldn't be.

--

Zuko was not particularly surprised when his door remained closed after the horn sounded. He simply sat and listened as the other prisoners shuffled down the hall. He was only mildly surprised when his sister arrived after the noises had subsided, accompanied by a guard.

"Leave us," she ordered. Unlike the one Mai had requested to do the same, this one didn't hesitate to obey. Azula had a commanding presence; Zuko would give her that much. Having already faced down their father, however, Zuko wasn't intimidated. He waited patiently for her to give the reason for her presence.

"Well, well, look who's got himself in trouble again," Azula remarked, standing over him.

"Old habits die hard," he responded. "What are you going to do with me?"

"I haven't decided yet. I might just leave you here to rot. It seems cozy." She cast a sardonic look around his cell.

"I can live with that." As planned, his lack of concern began to make her angry.

"Don't play with me, Zuko," she advised, eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?"

"Enjoying the hospitality of Mai's uncle," he quipped dryly.

"You know what I mean!" she shot back. "Why did you come here? Of all places, why here? Who are you helping?"

"Obviously not myself."

"This is getting us nowhere," Azula snapped, clearly losing patience and her usually unflappable control. "Where is the Avatar?" She raised one hand, and it crackled with lightning. Zuko eyed it cautiously but did not let his expression change.

"How should I know?" he returned.

"Do you expect me to believe that, after all of the times you've found him before, he eludes you just when you've decided to help him?"

"Maybe switching sides ruined my karma," Zuko suggested, shrugging. Actually, that wasn't so far from the truth, at least as far as it affected his firebending. Azula opened her mouth to say more, but an alarm went off. At almost the same moment, Zuko thought he heard a shift in the rock behind him. His heart began to race as he realized that the plan was in motion. Hurrying feet sounded outside the door, and it was quickly thrown open.

"Princess!" exclaimed a breathless guard as he stormed in. "There's a fight in the yard. I've been sent to protect you."

"I don't need any protection," Azula spat. That was certainly true. "Bring him with us." She jerked a thumb in Zuko's direction.

"I don't think so," Zuko answered, pressing his back against the wall. In a louder voice, he added, "Now would be a good time." He reasoned that Toph was probably either waiting for him to be alone or for a clear signal. Sure enough, he fell backwards through the rock even as the guard approached, just feeling Toph getting out of his way. The wall closed again behind him and vibrated slightly, indicating that Azula had thrown her lightning after him. Fortunately, the stone absorbed most of the energy.

"Follow me," Toph whispered, and he heard her moving away.

"It's really dark in here," he commented, feeling his way with his hands.

"Is it?" she returned sarcastically. Of course, she was blind, so the darkness made no difference to her. However, it did to Zuko.

"Uh, sorry," he tried again. "What I mean is, I don't think I'll be able to follow you without touching you. I can't see through rock like you can." He'd already managed to figure out that she wasn't too keen on being touched without some kind of warning.

"Oh. Okay," she granted her permission. Zuko reached out blindly until he grasped a shoulder. When he felt he was firmly attached, he told her she could move on, and he followed her trustingly down paths only she could see.

--

Azula barely bit back a roar of rage and prevented herself from running to the wall. It wouldn't do any good, and they would be moving away quickly. She had to find out where they were going and get there ahead of them. She whirled on the guard who had interrupted.

"You let an earthbender in here?" She was incredulous.

"I – we didn't –" the man stammered.

"You didn't know?" Azula's mind was working feverishly, forcing her to calm down as the guard nodded emphatically. That made sense. The images of the Avatar's companions had not been as widely publicized as the Avatar's. An error, obviously, but she didn't have the time to worry about that or who else might have joined the earthbender and Zuko here. The combination of the fight in the yard and Zuko's rescue meant that they were probably in the process of an escape attempt. She swore under her breath. "Get me out there! They're trying to get away!"

"I hardly think –"

"I'm not sure anyone around here _thinks _at all," she cut him off angrily. "Don't argue with me!" Azula ground her teeth in frustration, realizing that she'd been wasting her time interrogating her brother while the rest of his allies were attempting to break out. There was no way she was going to underestimate them. She'd seen them wriggle out of extremely tight spots before, including the Avatar's mysterious return from the dead.

They stopped by the warden's office, where Mai was struggling with a guard who'd clearly been ordered to keep her out of the action. No one seemed concerned with Ty Lee, and the warden was not in evidence.

"Come along, girls," Azula snapped crisply, offering Mai's guard a withering glare and experiencing the satisfaction when he visibly blanched and stepped away from her. "We have a prison break to stop." With that, she turned on her heel and left, not bothering to check whether the others were following her. She had no doubt that she would be obeyed.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: I should probably mention that I've always considered that Azula must be older. First, she was named after their grandfather. Also, Mai is 17, a year older than Zuko (it was mentioned in The Beach that she'd been an only child for 15 years, and her brother's about 2), so it would make sense for Azula and Ty Lee to also be that age. Finally, Azula hasn't changed much since Zuko's initial exile (ref. The Storm), and while that makes sense in a girl going from 14 to 17, it doesn't if she was only 12.

Review responses:

airnaruto45: I thought I'd made the plan clear.

mystery writer5775: You'll find out what Aang did eventually. Maybe next chapter or the one after.

IceFire9: Thanks, I really love Sokka and like to give him his due.

nutshak: Yeah, me too. That Aang bit was a scene I'd had in mind since the beginning.

superdoglac: Good, I'm glad you're still there.

Jeni27: Yeah, Aang doesn't like having nothing to do. It doesn't suit him.

ell25: Thank you very much!

Pepipanda: Well, they're sort of caught between a rock and a hard place now. The real action starts next chapter.

Ocaj: But think of all the things I cut out: the tea ceremony, Chit Sang and the guard he fingered, and all the stuff about the cooler and the first escape attempt. Once this is all done, if you read the dialogue aloud and picture the action, I doubt it will be longer than 52 minutes, which would be perfect to allow for editing. Original scripts are always longer than the final version.


	9. Chapter 9: The Escape

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: Here we are, the action-packed climax of the story. I'm sorry it's late, but the weekend got crazy, and this was a lot harder to write than you might think. I think readership has kind of fallen off during the Olympics, too.

**The Escape**

Zuko stumbled out of the rock behind Toph, blinking in the harsh sunlight. He sincerely hoped he would never have to go through that again. Although he knew it was impossible, he'd still felt the weight of the volcano bearing down on him, threatening to crush them both. His cell had been cramped enough; actually being inside the rock was a thousand times worse, and the journey had seemed to take a year.

"Good; you made it," Sokka's voice said from nearby. "Toph, you're up."

Zuko wanted to tell them to wait, that he couldn't see yet, but he knew that Sokka had a good reason for his haste when a familiar – too familiar, really – voice rang out over the noise of the courtyard.

"Stop them!" Azula commanded shrilly, and Zuko wasted no time in following the others. His vision was coming back to him, and he made his way to the ramp Toph created for them. He paused for just a moment at the top, seeing Ty Lee leaping over the heads of prisoners and soldiers alike in his direction, while the other two girls slid down the wall using something in their hands to control their descent.

Zuko reached the base of the ramp, and Toph shoved it in and upward, making a sheer rock face where they'd just come down and forcing back the handful of guards who'd managed to get that close. Meanwhile, Katara was stepping up to do her part. She took a large step at the edge of the lake, sweeping her hands in front of her at the same time. A narrow path of ice appeared in the middle of the steaming water, and Katara ran out onto it to create the next segment.

"Let's go!" Suki urged, heading out with Hakoda. Toph was tossing rocks up at potential pursuers, and Sokka drew his sword to guard the others' retreat. He had discarded his helmet somewhere.

Fire blasts were beginning to come at them, and Zuko swept them aside, returning fire of his own. Sokka, meanwhile, was doing a pretty good job blocking the fire with that odd, black sword of his.

"It's your turn, Toph," Zuko told the small girl. "I know how to fight fire."

"I can't…" she didn't finish the sentence, but Zuko suddenly realized that she couldn't see on the ice, and one false step…

"Okay, I'll go with you," he decided, shooting one massive spread of flame to cover them. "Don't wait long," he added to Sokka, who nodded grimly, shifting his two-handed grip. Zuko urged Toph out onto the ice, and she hesitantly stepped forward.

"This doesn't carry vibrations very well," she complained.

"It's okay. Just one step in front of the other," he told her. All at once, the sounds of battle ceased. Glancing back, Zuko saw the reason. Azula and the others had made it to the edge and were vaulting down the slope in pursuit. The guards were obviously holding their fire so as not to accidentally hit the princess. Sokka began backing onto his sister's path, but looking down, Zuko saw that they had another problem.

"Katara!" Sokka shouted, obviously noticing, as Zuko had, that the ice he was trying to step on was thinning. Zuko heard Katara give a wordless exclamation before their ice hardened again, and Sokka risked turning to draw closer to Zuko.

Their immediate issue was resolved, but this presented certain difficulties. Apparently, the water was so hot that it would begin melting Katara's ice as soon as she stopped concentrating on it. That meant that they would have to stay fairly close together as a group and that she would be too busy to fight. On the other hand, the rapidly melting bridge would make pursuit more difficult, if they could time everything just right. Zuko looked down at the bubbles and steam around him, trying not to think about what water at that temperature could do to his skin.

Meanwhile, Toph was still inching along, and Azula and Ty Lee were setting off across the ice. Mai stayed on the shore, throwing her knives. Sokka was blocking the projectiles to the best of his ability, but he couldn't keep that up forever. Something had to be done.

"I'm sorry," Zuko murmured to Toph.

"Wha – ah!" she almost shrieked as he scooped her up and started running. She weighed even less than Aang and required very little effort to carry, but with his hands full, he couldn't firebend. Of course, it was dangerous to firebend with such a precarious path made of ice, but it was also a ranged form of combat no one else seemed to have available at the moment.

Zuko spared a glance over his shoulder to gauge the distance between Sokka and the girls. Sokka was making steady progress, but he was slowed by the need to deflect Mai's attacks with his sword.

"Katara, drop the ice between Sokka and the rock!" Zuko advised as he reached her. She looked back, nodded, and the ice under Azula and Ty Lee abruptly melted. It did not become immediately the same temperature of the surrounding water, but it kept them occupied for a second or two. Unfortunately, Ty Lee was able to launch herself to a point in between Sokka and the rest of the group. Azula leapt backwards to land on the rock beside Mai. However, seeing her quarry about to escape, Azula took a running start from the small shoreline, punching her fists downward and forcing fire into the rock as she simultaneously pushed off with her feet. She used the resulting explosions to add to her velocity, propelling herself across the expanse of water to land solidly on the ice Sokka had just vacated as he moved towards Ty Lee.

"He's going to need some help back there," asserted Zuko, noting that Sokka was flanked.

"On it," Suki responded, moving to attack Ty Lee from behind with a bull rush.

"I'll take her," Hakoda offered, holding out his arms to relieve Zuko of his burden. Zuko handed Toph over (she'd given up protesting by now) and tried to evaluate his options. Sokka turned to face Azula, but there was no way he could get close enough to make his sword useful. Meanwhile, Ty Lee was engaged with Suki a few feet in front of Zuko, Suki moving expertly to avoid being struck by Ty Lee's devastating chi-blocking attacks. That wasn't giving her much time for offense, but she was keeping Ty Lee busy, which was the important thing right now.

Mai was making her way back up the far slope, and Zuko thought he saw the gondola being prepared. From there, both Mai and the prison guards could get clear shots at the escapees. They needed to reach the opposite side before the gondola could get into position, but as he judged the insurmountable distance they had to cover, that didn't look possible.

Even as he pondered, the ice in front of Zuko widened, allowing him the room he needed to get to his sister. It also gave Ty Lee more space to dodge and use her acrobatic moves, but that couldn't be helped.

Zuko shot some fire over Sokka's head in an attempt to get the combatants' attention. He suspected that Azula would be only too happy to shift her focus from Sokka to him. He carefully timed his approach for a moment when Ty Lee was airborne, darting under her and reaching Sokka.

"We need backup," Zuko suggested as he shot fire with both hands.

"Right," Sokka agreed, making his retreat. Zuko didn't hear anything, but he assumed Sokka was summoning Aang. He really hoped that bison whistle worked.

--

Mai stood in the gondola, waiting for it to get into position. She was joined by several firebenders and two archers. They were mostly going to get in her way, but Mai didn't mind too much. She was almost out of ammunition, anyway.

She squinted through the steam, seeing the shapes moving. The ice provided a sort of target because it was a small swath in the lake from which steam was not rising. Mai raised the wrist on which she wore her small crossbow and its half dozen bolts, letting the sleeve fall back to her elbow.

Truthfully, she was more worried that Azula would view her tactics as abandonment. Mai had valid arguments for what she was doing, but it was doubtful whether that would matter. On top of that, as she looked down, it was obvious that they weren't going to get targets that were readily visible. In a way, that made things easier for her – she wouldn't have to make any difficult decisions. She fired a few bolts into the haze, not really expecting to hit anything. Longbows twanged and firebenders let loose around her.

Then, it happened. The air cleared in one area as blue fire met red, and Mai saw Zuko fighting Azula. The intensity of their firebending was somehow dissipating the steam, and Mai got a clear shot at Zuko's right ear. She raised her wrist, sighting along her crossbow.

She froze with her finger on the release. She couldn't do it. Even after everything he'd done, after the pain he'd caused her, she just couldn't bring herself to hurt him. When she'd drawn blood on him the day before, it had shaken her so thoroughly that she hadn't been able to face him since. Foolish as it was, she still loved him.

The steam closed back in around him, and the opportunity was gone. Cursing her weakness, Mai let a bolt fly harmlessly into the water.

When the flying bison showed up less than a minute later, Mai knew they'd lost. She used nearly all of her weapons shooting at it, anyway. The guards with her gave the signal to the ones posted at the end to send the gondola the rest of the way across the lake. They would make an effort to head the group off before they could get clear of the island, but it was a futile attempt. This battle was over.

--

Aang had long finished his project and had Appa saddled and ready to go when the flying bison suddenly lurched to his feet and groaned.

"That's the signal, right?" Aang asked him. "Okay; let's go!" He vaulted onto Appa's head and took hold of the reins in his left hand. With his right, he punched forward, blowing his carefully constructed overhang outward. He didn't even have to utter the flight command. Apparently as glad to be done with their period of inactivity as Aang was, Appa ran forward and vaulted out of the cave, climbing high into the sky before banking sharply toward the prison.

Blasts of fire, mostly red but punctuated by some blue, lit up the steam off the boiling water as Aang and Appa drew closer. At last, Aang could make out the fight that was going on, and it didn't look good. The gondola hung in the middle of its course, fire and arrows raining down from it. His friends, meanwhile, were stranded on an island of ice on the lake, doing battle with Azula and Ty Lee. He was at least happy to note that everyone seemed to be accounted for, including the two prisoners being rescued.

Thinking quickly, Aang stood up and raised his arms, summoning a gigantic wave out of the lake. He froze it in a half-curve over Katara and the others, shielding them from the gondola. It wouldn't last long in that heat, but he hoped it would be enough to get everyone out of there.

"Get down to them," he shouted to Appa, running down to the saddle. Hakoda was carrying Toph, which made sense because ice was one of the places she was truly blind. When Appa got close enough, Aang told him to hover, and Hakoda managed to hand off the earthbender. The few seconds it took to get her secured on the saddle seemed like an eternity, and she held tightly to the edge, looking miserable. Aang's frozen wave was folding in on itself, but Katara took advantage of the opportunity. With one hand, she prevented it from crashing on anyone and used the remnants to make a modified water whip, taking Ty Lee by surprise and forcing her to slide backwards. Suki didn't pursue but moved farther away, recognizing the direction of her escape route. Meanwhile, Aang assisted Hakoda onto Appa's back and urged the bison a little further along.

"Come on, Katara," he urged, clinging to Appa's saddle with one hand and offering her the other. However, she shook her head, her brow knit with concentration.

"I have to keep the ice solid until everyone's safe," she argued. "Get the others first." For a moment, Aang was torn by indecision. He hated to leave her here, exposed, but he knew that she was right. Sparing a second or two to sweep aside some arrows that were heading her way, he moved on to Suki, who was already making her way towards him. She took a few running steps and flung herself onto the flying animal so that Aang hardly had to pull her at all. She shimmied a few feet away, braced herself on a different leg, and mirrored Aang's position with one hand holding tightly to the edge of the saddle. Aang nodded to her, believing that he knew what she had in mind. They hadn't really worked together before, but with luck, they could get the timing right.

"Zuko, get to Sokka!" Aang called out. "Appa, that way!" Zuko retreated, shooting fire from his hands non-stop as he went, but Azula was pursuing. Aang decided he needed to do something about that. He only had one hand, but he thought he could manage. He softened the ice around Azula and brought it up to surround her before freezing it solid again, leaving her bobbing in place. Sokka swiftly sheathed his sword.

Appa flew down close to the ice path, turning as he did so. Aang took hold of Zuko while Suki grasped Sokka's wrist. Appa was now the primary target from the gondola, but he had lots of experience dodging fire and projectiles, so Aang let him do that and bank back to Katara while Aang and Suki concentrated on getting Zuko and Sokka onto Appa's back. Suki followed Sokka up, and Aang scrambled over the saddle to be on the right side to pick up Katara. He got there just in time to see Ty Lee encased in a similar ice block to the one Aang had trapped Azula in.

Aang reached down, took hold of Katara, and pulled her up. She maneuvered herself onto Appa's back, and Aang followed her. However, he realized that Azula and Ty Lee's ice was already starting to melt, which would leave them nowhere to go except into the deadly waters. Sighing, he shoved a mighty blast of air in their direction, hurling them to shore with such force that they smacked against the volcanic slope, cracking the ice.

"You saved them?" Zuko asked incredulously as Aang hauled himself into the saddle, breathing heavily.

"I couldn't just let them die," he explained. "I'm sorry." Without waiting for any other responses, he swiftly went up to Appa's head to take the reins. Sokka had been doing his best, but he gladly relinquished control to Aang.

"You probably shouldn't take an obvious route back to the temple," Sokka advised. "I'm sure they're going to follow us."

"Oh, I don't think so," Aang replied, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear him. "At least, not for a while." Sokka looked confused but went back to sit beside Suki. Aang kept Appa flying low as long as possible, allowing the steam to partially obscure them and veering away from the gondola's path. However, he couldn't resist showing off his handiwork. Once out of the lake's crater, he climbed and turned just a little towards the dock, trying to make sure everyone could see it (except Toph, of course). Aang stood up and made a sweeping gesture down to draw the attention of his passengers. They looked, but most of them simply looked confused.

"The airship just looks deflated," Hakoda commented. "Can't they just fill it up again?" Gazing down, Aang realized that what he'd done wasn't terribly obvious from this height. That was disappointing, but he thought he could retrieve the moment.

"That's going to be awfully hard for them to do with the lids blown off," he remarked triumphantly. "And with 62 gashes cut into the balloon."

"62?" Suki repeated, and Aang shrugged.

"So I counted," he admitted. "I didn't have much else to do. There _might _also be some damage to the rudder and the inside of the ship itself."

"Wow, nice going, Twinkle-toes," Toph commented. At least she could appreciate the description.

"I guess we shouldn't leave you alone too often," added Zuko. However, what made it all worthwhile was Katara's final evaluation.

"You know, Aang, sometimes you are absolutely brilliant."

Aang grinned broadly as he turned them north. That was all he needed to hear.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: I suppose I could end there, but I'm going to do one wrap-up chapter to complete Mai's story and get the group back to the temple. Is that person still reading who said there would be less drama with other characters involved? I think I came up with plenty of drama.

Review responses:

SilverKyo: Thank you very much! I felt this episode(s) was a great candidate to re-do because it had a good framework and just needed some depth. I've been asked if I'll be re-writing other episodes in the season, but I have no immediate plans for that.

ElricBrothers222: I do really like writing Zuko, and not from a fangirl perspective.:) I guess I really cut my teeth on him as a character through writing my longer stories, Avatar in Training and Destiny's Call. I also try to hear all of the lines in the characters' voices, to convince myself they fit.

nutshak: Thanks!

Fire Lord Lionheart: Thank you for hanging in there and giving me a chance. I disliked the repetitive story of Zuko having field trips with each person individually, as well as the fact that Toph was left out. I also really wanted to see some depth to the relationships.

Ocaj: Of course prose is different than film, television, or even theatre. That's what makes it a bit of a challenge to translate. Writing action in prose is especially difficult. In fact, I avoided doing it for quite some time. My forte is the relationships, anyway.


	10. Chapter 10: The Return

Disclaimer: I still do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Author's Note: As I was writing this, I realized that I totally forgot about Momo last chapter. Let's just assume he found his way to Appa and mostly stayed out of the battle.

**The Return**

Mai stood on the black ridge, watching the flying bison ascend into the clouds. Assuming that Azula would follow and probably want to pursue them, she walked down to the airship. It was odd that the balloon had so quickly deflated. Mai didn't know a lot about these machines, but she assumed that it would take time for that much air to escape. On closer inspection, she identified the massive damage to the vehicle and indulged in a smile, the only expression of mirth she ever expressed.

When Azula arrived a few minutes later, disheveled and still in the process of steaming water off of herself, she predictably gave the order to ready the airship.

"We can't," Mai told her. "See for yourself." As Azula made the same discoveries Mai already had, her temper began to rise.

"How could you let this happen?" Azula shrieked to everyone generally. The guards present drew back.

"It was like that when we got here," Mai said defiantly. "The Avatar must have done it before he swooped in to the rescue." Azula now advanced on her, eyes wild.

"And you. Why did you abandon us like that?"

"I can't fight close in like Ty Lee," Mai reminded her patiently, although she was privately beginning to get angry. "There wasn't room for me to do anything else. I thought I could get a better shot from above."

"You're a traitor, just like Zuko," Azula accused then. "You still care about him. You helped him escape!" The two girls faced off against each other for a moment. Mai decided to not even acknowledge the allegation.

"I'm done," she announced, turning her back. "I'm going to have my uncle get me out on the next ship available. You can find the Avatar and your brother on your own."

"Nobody leaves me until I tell them to!" Azula snarled. Then, for added emphasis, she shouted, "NOBODY!"

"Mai!" Ty Lee cried, giving Mai her only warning. Mai whipped around with her one remaining weapon, a tiny, needle-sharp device useful for puncturing sensitive areas. Azula was going into a massive firebending maneuver, but she never finished it. Surprising both of them, Ty Lee jumped in, giving two quick strikes to the shoulders and effectively blocking Azula's bending. The now-powerless princess glared at the two other girls in a mixture of shock and outrage as two of the guards came to her aid.

"Take them away," Azula ordered the remaining guards, who took hold of the girls. Neither of them resisted – Ty Lee because she was probably still too astonished that she'd taken such action, and Mai because she just didn't care what happened to her anymore. "Lock them up where I'll never have to see them again."

As she was escorted to a cell inside the prison and searched for any other weapons or equipment, it occurred to Mai that what had just occurred was sort of a smaller version of what Zuko had been trying to tell her. Azula had always tried to manipulate everyone around her, including her "friends", through fear, just as the Fire Nation was trying to control the world. However, such a strategy must always fail, as it had today. Eventually, people got pushed beyond their fear and acted in unpredictable ways. Mai looked upward, guessing at the direction the bison had gone.

"Good luck, Zuko," she whispered into the empty room. "I love you."

--

The journey back was uneventful, which was a relief after the efforts made in the escape. Although there were now two extra people, Appa wasn't carrying his armor or much equipment, so Aang didn't think it would be a problem to fly all the way back to the temple. He tuned out the conversation, aided by the wind blowing in his ears, and allowed himself to unwind from the tension of the battle. He was free to simply concentrate on flying and how happy he was to have everyone back together again.

Their triumphant team was greeted at the Western Air Temple by Haru, Teo, and The Duke as the sun touched the water. There were many questions and answers, and Suki was introduced around. While this was going on, Aang occupied himself with removing Appa's saddle, and he noticed Toph approaching Zuko on the outskirts of the group.

"Um, Zuko?" she began, uncharacteristically timid. This caught Aang's attention, so he listened while trying to be unobtrusive.

"Hm?" Zuko grunted distractedly.

"Thanks. For…earlier."

"Oh. Don't mention it."

This little exchange confused Aang, and he wondered what he had missed. Toph thanking anyone was really unusual, and to hear her thanking Zuko was stranger yet. He would really need to get with Katara and the others to catch up. Maybe they would re-tell their story over dinner. Aang was starving and eager for some fresh food after eating trail rations for several days.

Once everything had settled down and they were preparing the evening meal, Hakoda surprised Aang by seeking him out.

"Avatar Aang, I really wanted to thank you for everything you've done to help me and my children," he said.

"That's okay," Aang responded, a little embarrassed. "And you can just call me Aang."

"Thank you, Aang." Hakoda shook his head wonderingly. "I never thought I would owe so much to a 12-year-old."

"13," Aang corrected absently. "You don't owe me anything." He was going to say more, but he became suddenly aware that the camp had gone quiet, and all eyes had turned curiously toward him. He could feel the color rising to his face as he wondered what it was all about.

"Did you say you were 13?" Sokka broke the silence.

"Well, yeah," admitted Aang. "My birthday passed while I was unconscious." Katara abruptly broke from the group to rush over and hug him.

"Aang, why didn't you tell us?" she demanded.

"There was just so much going on, I didn't realize for a while," he tried to explain. "By the time I did, it just didn't seem like a big deal, and we were in the Fire Nation. Besides, I was actually in the iceberg for about two months longer than 100 years, so physically, I guess I was 13 about two weeks ago."

"Well, whenever it was, we should celebrate it!" offered Katara, seeming almost giddy.

"Slow down, Katara," suggested Toph.

"What?" Katara whirled toward her, clearly ready to fight to get her way. "This is an important occasion!"

"First things first," Sokka soothed. "We can't plan a party right now because we need to leave first thing tomorrow."

"What?" that was Suki, amid similar exclamations from the others. "We just got here!"

"Sokka's right," Zuko added his voice. "We have a head start, but Azula's going to try to follow us. It won't take her long to decide to try here."

"Where can we go?" The Duke asked. "I mean, the Fire Nation's almost everywhere now."

"I think we should head to the Eastern Air Temple for now," suggested Aang. "No one's there – unless the Guru decided to stay—"

"The who?" Haru interrupted.

"Never mind," Aang advised. "It's a long story. Anyway, it's big, and it should only take a few days to get there."

"I remember seeing some uninhabited islands on our way to the Fire Nation," Teo contributed. "We can stop at those along the way."

"Even in the Fire Nation, there are some empty islands," Katara added.

"We have another problem, though," Sokka put in. "Appa can't possibly carry all of us and our gear that far. He got tired getting us to this island, and we've got two extra people now."

"My balloon can carry three people and some supplies," Zuko offered. "It'll be tight, but we can do it."

"That's very generous, Sifu Zuko," said Aang, giving his firebending teacher a little bow. "Hey, that could be a tongue-twister. Bet you can't say it five times fast: Sifu Zuko, Sifu Zuku, Siku Zufo—"

"Okay, Twinkle-toes, we get it," Toph broke in exasperatedly, and everyone laughed. There was still a long, hard road ahead of them, but they were putting a team together again, and that was enough for now. Meanwhile, Katara turned back to Aang and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Aang," she murmured. She withdrew from him and began serving food, but she cast him a glance over her shoulder. Unless his imagination was playing tricks on him, there seemed to be a sort of promise in her eyes. It might just have been her determination to throw him a party, but he liked to believe it was a little something more.

Aang had never been so happy to have a birthday.

--

Member of the Boomeraang Squad: charleegirl, Jesus.Lives, Liselle129, Strix Moonwing, Avatarwolf, MormonMaiden, libowiekitty, Snows of Yester-Year, La Vixen de Amor, chocolatecoveredbananacheese, Aangy, and honorary member SnakeEyes16

Author's Note: Just a short, little ending, more of an epilogue, I guess. I thought it was stupid of them to stay at the temple for so long. Since Zuko and Combustion Man found them there, it was only a matter of time before somebody else caught up. The birthday stuff was just based on my figuring of when Aang's would be. I really wanted to highlight his turning 13. It's kind of a milestone.

Review responses:

Avatar Wolf: Yeah, Aang plus boredom is a dangerous combination.

nutshak: Thank you, although I seem to have mixed responses to the action.

ell25: That was probably the longest fight scene I've ever written, and certainly the most complicated, although I had some significant action in Destiny's Call. For other things I've written, just click on my name at the top of the page and scroll down to see the list of fics I have posted.

shiro-wolfman-k: I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the action scene as much as other readers seem to have. I intend to write a private message to address your specific comments.

Satyuros: I decided to respond to you, even though you reviewed the wrong story. It's too bad you didn't like the action scene, but I'd say it succeeded. It was _supposed_ to be chaotic and confusing. Real battles usually are, especially when they involve that many people.


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